


Into The Deep

by iiwasalwaysthequeen



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-29
Updated: 2017-05-30
Packaged: 2018-11-06 15:12:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 27
Words: 153,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11038755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iiwasalwaysthequeen/pseuds/iiwasalwaysthequeen
Summary: - Reposted from FFnet  under 'Cuz I'm Nice Like That'Taking her revenge a step forward, Regina marries David and things spiral from her control. She didn't plan on having children with him, building a life with him, or falling in love with him. This story follows the fallout when she comes clean with her husband and he remembers his life beforehand. Will their cursed love survive? Did he fall for her too?*Assisted by IgorWritesToo*





	1. Chapter 1

"You've gotten too comfortable deary."

She had come to him in search of her sleeping curse and was now being lectured for her involvement in the personal affairs of her cursed self. But really she wasn't cursed, she was just living a cursed life. Her former teacher sat in judgment of her emotional entailments and her recent decisions, scoffing at her attempt to seed the sleeping curse from his hands. He was endowed with no such thing, being truly concerned with the toddler that clung to her and his suspicions thus far.

"You're falling for him." He was a wicked man really, laughing at the interludes between his speech. "And it would be quite the comedy if it weren't so pitiful." She recoiled at his assessment, feeling as though she were being scorned for failing to perform a trick or cast a spell. "You've fallen in too deep-Sooner rather than later, the curse will break and the man that you call your husband will wake up and realize that the mother of his child," he glanced over her once more, "children-is nothing more than a desperate sworn enemy out to exact revenge on his real wife."

"So to answer the question you've asked-No I cannot help you put the Savior to sleep, and to answer the question that you're too afraid to ask-Yes, you will lose everything." His last whisper stuck like a blow to the chest, forcing her to accept that she had indeed fallen in too deep.

Later that day the Sheriff entered his house expecting to hear rattling footsteps or smell pasta simmering on the stove. He expected a sullen child desperate to see his birth mother eyeing his adoptive mother as if she had slipped something in the pasta. He walked in the door and found silence, nothing more than faint sniffles and the creaking of the wood against his feet. "Regina?" Walking up the mini flight of stairs, he found the source of sadness to be his wife sitting at the head of the dinning room table with only a box of Kleenex and a cup of tea to soothe her.

"What-" He paused, seeing the suitcases lined up beside her. "Why are your bags packed?"

She lifted her eyes to meet his and the sight nearly broke her. Rumple was right, she had fallen for Prince Charming. She knew this by the way her body ached to be held by him, her lips yearned to be kissed by his and the only thing that had the ability to calm her was his voice. "My bags aren't packed-yours are." He took a step back and she motioned for him to sit, in which he did, almost immediately reaching for his hand.

She placed her hand in her lap, refusing any contact. "You're going to want to leave when I finish."

Finish what, he thought-What could possibly make him want to leave the woman he loved and the family that he cherished. The words that poured from her mouth came in a calm but at points in her story-frantic voice. The tears would flow and he was unmoving, the only change being the darkening of his eyes as he began to go through something. As he began to remember.

She let out a light gasp that could also serve as a hiccup, something he always teased her about but she was with great doubt that he would tease her about it now. Now that he stared at her with full on knowledge of her past, of his past. As he stared at a woman he hated with a wedding band on his finger that bound him to her. As he stared at a woman that he had tried to execute, knowing that a child was upstairs that shared their blood-her eyes and her hair, his nose and his lips. She had tricked him-She had used him, her tears said otherwise but he didn't care about them.

"Where is Charlotte?" Her mouth opened but she didn't say anything, only sniffling in response. His got up from the table silently, his only show of violence being the slam of his chair against the table as he 'slid' it forward. She jumped as it clanked against the floor, hesitating before she followed quickly behind him, making the sudden move to grab his arm.

The ferocity in which he pulled away should not have shocked her, nor should the hatred in his eyes but the little imp was right-She had fallen in and now she was feeling everything. He pointed a finger at her, eyes wide and face red. "You-I am not going to hurt you- I don't want to hurt you because you are carrying my child but so help me Regina-don't push me."

She stepped back at his words, feeling as though he might as well have slapped her. It would've been a easier blow to take. He turned away from her, his only show of anger being the cursed yell he let out as he ascended the stairs and his fist jutted out suddenly, punching a hole in a wall that they had painted together. Seconds passed, minutes passed and what could be transpiring filled her mind. She wanted to act but she was glued to her spot, only daring to move when she saw him once again with a sleeping toddler hanging on his shoulder.

"No." It was a guttural whisper that she knew he heard because he scoffed at her, reaching for the pink and purple coat by the door. "You-you can't take her-" She reached for him again and he yanked from her grasp, causing her to stumble back with a light cry.

He slammed the door behind him and the paintings of their family shook against the wall, clambering with the plaster. She cried, she sobbed-For their family, for their children. She was unaware of how close the curse was to breaking, unaware of how close she was to breaking. Everything was spinning out of control and she could do no more that grasp at the remnants of a life that wasn't even hers to begin with. She wasn't supposed to get attached and she wasn't supposed to have his children.

Her mind got caught up in the tantalizing dream of a family, her mind let go of her plan and before she knew it she had fallen for him in a way that crippled her ability to think clearly, to protect herself and her emotions. She was weak-love at it's finest. Now she had no one, the man she loved having left her with nothing more than an empty house to remember them by. Henry was with Emma per David's request, Charlotte and David were at the Bed and Breakfast and she knew that soon enough there would be talk. The Sheriff had left the Mayor-And later, The Evil Queen had tricked Prince Charming.

She was in a period of self loathing, scolding herself for letting her guard down despite the risk. Her mind had laundered the endgame, forgetting that the sole purpose was to have something to hang over Snow White's head, to be able to take her true love just as she had done her. She wasn't supposed to get hurt let alone heart-broken. But of course, her schemes never went according to plan.

Her heart always got in the way.

Days had passed since anyone had seen her face; she had called in sick each morning, working from home since all the files she needed were on her laptop. She needed time to get herself together, refusing to step-foot outside her house being a broken sniffling mess. Time was needed to regroup and rethink-To collect herself before she lost herself. The curse was going to break, she could tell by the spark she felt when she awoke each morning; it grew stronger and stronger.

Magic.

She didn't have much time to think, so she spent the time that she knew she had doing that exactly. But there were times when she would sit at the dining room table with tea, and a box of Kleenex staring at a door that her joy had walked through. She hated it-That he left with her happiness, that he left with the love that she had been longing for since she could remember. She hoped to maybe, just maybe see him walk through one more time with their daughter holding onto his finger-Three days later she did.

"Mommy!" Big brown eyes lit up upon seeing her mother, chubby legs carrying her as quickly as she could to a woman with waiting arms. Regina had stood from the table, bending at the waist to catch her daughter when she crashed.

The feeling brought a rush of warmth that she had been longing for, that she had been stripped of. "Sweetheart..." Soft words were whispered into her daughter's ear as she smoothed the braid down her back, eyes filling with tears as the tiny words, "I missed you" were mumbled into her shoulder.

"Charlotte why don't you go wait for me upstairs in your room, okay?" When she heard his voice, she stiffened considerably. She let go with a reluctance that was evident, especially when the toddler attempted to hold onto her hand.

"Can mommy come too?" She tugged at the woman's olive fingers, earning an adoring smile that crept onto Regina's face.

David opened his mouth, failing to speak; his wife always did the talking-the explaining, or rather, the woman he thought to be his wife. "I'll be up soon, honey just let me talk to Daddy." She stepped in where he faltered, something that he used to be comfortable with when he didn't look at his wedding ring and scowl.

Charlotte skipped up the steps, humming a tune familiar to the both of them. She left just in time, missing the moment of silence that they shared, that hovered between them. He looked at her and he was lukewarm-He had loved her so much, and there was such a passion behind it. He would have done anything for her love, jumped in front of any train for her safety and moved heaven and earth for her happiness. To have those feelings, all of those memories questioned-To know that Henry was right all along, to know that the life that he once knew was manipulated and he was just a pawn was like having the ground slipped from under him and sealed above him so that he could not escape the darkness he felt.

"Henry and Emma are coming over." He broke the silence with a revelation bound to cause a fight.

"I don't want her in my house-"

"This is as much my house as it is yours-You said that the day you married me." His words silenced her, hitting where it hurt. "Or should I say-the day you accomplished your mission."

"David-"

His brows wrinkled in mock thought. "Or was it when Charlotte was born-" His voice spun with anger and sorrow, the shine in eyes betraying his front and displaying his hurt. "God, Regina did you mean any of it?!" She was silent, pulling the long sweater she wore closer to her body as he berated her. "Because what pisses me off-is that I KNOW I did, I know I meant it even though I was cursed..." His voice shook with an emotion that he would never vocalize, trembling with a rage that he would never show her. "Now I remember everything and I still feel like I'm supposed to come home to you and that-That makes me hate you." He loved her so much that he hated her, he loathed the fact that the curse couldn't erase the feelings that he felt for her even if they were spawned from an evil plot. "Oh what-You don't have any sarcastic comments or any smartass remarks-" He was turning red, his anger penetrating the moment so that he was screaming and she was silent.

"I'm sorry." It was a whisper that felt like rocks in her mouth until she finally muttered the words. It was a whisper that rendered him unsatisfied, staring at the woman that would probably cost everything he knew to be right.

"You're sorry-You're sorry that you used me or that you had my child or that you've probably tried to kill me as I slept next to you-"

"I never-" Her voice rattled with dryness and she swallowed, regaining her strength. "I never...ever tried to hurt you-"

"Physically.." He supplemented, shrugging his shoulders at her words as if they were just another piece to the puzzle, something to add to her list of deeds. "But you can't deny that you messed with my head once in a while and whose to say that I can trust you not trying to hurt me or Charlo-"

"No!" It was a frightening cry that trumped his screams. "I will take your yelling and screaming-your anger." She swallowed, eyes rimmed with reddening tears. "I will take it because I know what I did was wrong but you will not question my love for Charlotte-I love her, I love all my children."

"Oh really-" He spat back, words biting at her heart. "Tell that to Henry."

He knew her weaknesses, because she had let her guard down as if they weren't cursed and they were really married. She had cried in his arms countless times, knowing that she was the Evil Queen but still pained by the fact that it was all that her child saw her as, that he didn't look beyond her past to see that she loved him. He knew her love-her weakness, and he used it against her.

The doorbell rang and a response was not allotted, the Mayor shaking with a rage that she couldn't express and the Sheriff moving to open the door, revealing his co-Sheriff and the boy that he had a hand in raising for 5 years.

"Everything okay?" Emma questioned, having heard the screaming while they walked down the path to the porch. David was reddened from anger, eyes wet with unshed tears that he attempted to brush off as he opened the door wider, squeezing Henry's shoulder.

"Did you bring it?" David questioned. Henry nodded, pulling the book from behind his back, throwing a suspicious glance at his mother. Regina's eyes widened as she saw the oak colored rectangle being passed to David's hands, her own hands reaching for the table for stability as she sat down.

"Hey kid, why don't you go find Charlotte?" Emma suggested, stuffing her hands in her jean pockets. Henry's eyes pleaded to stay and her eyes widened in disapproval in which he laughed, the contortion of her face being an amusement to him. He ran up the stairs and Regina couldn't help the tinge of jealousy that hit her at his willingness to listen to her in comparison with their near non-existent relationship. "Are you guys okay?"

She asked with good reason, never having seen the Mayor in such a mess, a causal mess to be specific. Regina tugged at her sweater once more, looking at the floor as she sat at the head of the table. David ignored her anger, her hurt, and sat down at the opposite side, motioning for Emma to sit as well. He set the book in the middle of the table and heard Regina audibly scoff at his actions.

"What's with the book?" Emma asked, leaning back in her chair.

"Emma we'd like to ask that you keep Henry for a little bit."

"David-" Regina began, voice at a near scream. Emma, leaned forward, not knowing if she heard him correctly not. She and Henry were just reaching that place where they were comfortable, no precepts. Regina was backing off and they were allowed to spend more time together, but was she ready to be his mother-She didn't know the answer to that. Sure, she wanted him and her heart told him that she was right to do so but despite her wants and feelings, what mattered was if she was ready to undertake such a task.

"Some issues..." His eyes roamed in Regina's direction. ".. have come up that we have to deal with and I'm not going to be staying here-I'll have Charlotte and I'd-we'd like Henry to stay with you and M-Mary Margaret's for the time being." He tripped over the name of his true love, his heart sinking at the hurt that she would experience finding out that he had loved and had a child with another woman. That he still loved that woman.

"Of course I'd take him in -and I don't mean to pry but-Why can't he stay with Regina, why aren't you..." Her words faded when David's eyes left hers and moved to his wife's, the ice in his stare impalpable to strangers.

"Regina why don't you tell Emma why I'm no longer living here with you-Explain why Henry can't live here with you, why Charlotte is not being left here with you." His anger was clear, making the blonde want to interject and say that she didn't want to know, that it was none of her business but the staring competition between them was far too intense to interject.

"I am not a child here for you to scold and reprimand." She spoke up, eyeing David and only David. "If and when I am ready to discuss such matters with Ms. Swan-I will, but until then-I suggest you leave the subject alone."

"Oh no-" He shook his head, turning his body to face her in a challenge. "You don't get to tell me how to handle this-Not after what you've done and certainly not with the blood on your hands." He turned to Emma, who was rightfully confused and uncomfortable at this point. "Emma the curse is real."

She paused, her eyes crinkling as she laughed. "Not you too David.."

"Emma-Emma listen to me, you weren't abandoned." He opened the book to the page where his sword was drawn as he held her to his chest and fought off Regina's men. "Your mother and I put you in a wardrobe to bring you here so that you wouldn't be cursed with us, we-"

She stopped him, her hand raising as she turned to look at the paling woman seated in the head seat of the table. "Regina-" Her words fell silent as she stared into the woman's eyes, filled with hurt and loss, anger and sorrow. She looked into her eyes and she saw her history flash before her, she saw the truth. A vivid remembrance of a life once lived but a life she never lived passed her eyes.

When the light filtered her eyes once more, they held the stare of the woman that began it all. The woman said nothing to defend herself and the exposing of the skeletons in her closet continued. For a minute there was silence, thoughts boggling everyone's mind until a question, that would open the floodgates, was posed.

"What happened to Graham?" Regina's eyes darkened slowly and she attempted to put her emotions at bay.

David would have thought that she would want to know about her parents-that he was her father. Instead, they both found themselves staring at Regina who was mustering up the pieces of her broken mask.

"He was a liability to the curse." She spoke cooly, her heart pounding, tears brimming-her face betraying her tone.

"So you-" She gripped at the lapel of her red leather jacket, her hands burning with a fury to ring the woman's neck. "You killed him."

David's eyes widened at the realization that even why they were married, she hadn't changed. "I released him."

He reached for his daughter and she recoiled at his attempts. She stood and slammed her chair against the table, but it failed to fall as it had when her father had done it days before. Regina was unmoving at the sound, at her actions until the blonde made a move to call down their son to leave and found that he was already standing there.

"So I was right."

"Henry." Regina stood, the crumbled pieces of her face falling back to the floor. He backed away even though she made no movements towards him, Emma's back preventing her from doing so.

"You're the Evil Queen-And you killed Graham, I was right." His voice was triumphant but tears filled his eyes at the revelation that he had. No one wants to believe that their mother is capable of what he had long accepted her capable of doing. Emotions were pressed and with a protective hand, Emma took a hold of her son's shoulder before he had a chance to meet Regina's eyes again. The door slammed for the second time that week and once again, their family photos shook against the wall.

Slowly, she sat back down in defeat, noting the eyes that were on her. "Go ahead-Tell me what a monster I am." She dead-panned, no longer surprised by his outbursts.

"I held you."

She lifted her head, rearing back. "What?"

His hand met the face of the table in a hard slap that made her jump. "I held you-I held you when we found out that he died-I was upset, you cried because you were friends-I held you." His words came out as a mantra, the night of Graham's death playing in his head. He couldn't help but feel like a fool, holding what he thought to be his mourning wife when in actuality, she was a murderer.

And the love he felt was clouded by the hate he had for her.

"Charlotte!" He bellowed, mirroring his daughter when his chair slammed once again. She came charging down the steps and he picked her up, tucking her arm when she reached for her mother. He left wordlessly, having nothing to say as Charlotte's hand opened and closed in a show of goodbye.

The curse was close to breaking.

She was close to breaking.

And David, he was close to breaking as well.


	2. Betrayed

It had been two weeks since he had seen her, since he had left her. Time was slowly passing, each day being torturous in it's monotony. People were beginning to talk, seeing him stay at the Bed & Breakfast with their daughter, the Mayor left all alone in the big house on Mifflin. His emotions were strained to not care, to ignore the yearn in his truck to make a couple of turns and wind up in the driveway of a place that he had once called home.

It was as if his heart was betraying him, causing him to love a woman that he shouldn't. The curse had broken on his mind-but not on his heart. He shrunk away from entertaining the prospect of perhaps it being something else. He didn't understand how things could change-How he could wake up from a conscious slumber and have feelings for someone that he had vowed to seek revenge upon on behalf on his real wife.

Besides the hate, there was the hurt. The hurt of knowing that the woman he loved wasn't supposed to be the woman he loved. When Graham had come to him, telling wild stories of dreams and wolfs, eyes a vivid contrast from one another, he thought that the man was stressed, to tired to be coherent. He wondered why he never put the pieces together, why shortly after telling his wife that Emma was seeing Graham, that Graham was seeing unusual things-She disappeared.

When Emma came to their door the next day, eyes reddened and face solemn, baring the news of the fallen Sheriff, found dead on the floor of the Sheriff's station-nothing seemed unusual besides his sudden death. He never thought, he never fathomed that the woman who mourned him actually killed him. Henry's ramblings weren't ramblings-they weren't false contortions of his mind that could be cured from weekly sessions with Dr. Hopper.

He felt like a fool, a deputy falling for the dark haired Mayor, only a pawn in a game of chess that he was bound to be on the losing side of. The nights of unbridled passion they shared, the starry nighted talks they had, the moments of merely looking into the others eyes with nothing more than an adoration unmatched by anything he had ever felt; can one really fake all of that? Can it all just be an illusion, a joke in which he was not let in on?

And if it was, if their relationship was simply a consequence of the curse, of her scheming-Magical manipulation at it's finest, then the feelings would have vanished, right? Like vapor, appearing and disappearing within a second. Instead, every morning he awoke to cinder blocks in his chest, weighing his heart and making breath seem impossible to grasp onto. With the first conscious breath he took, everything hit him all over again. His name was David, David Nolan; formerly Prince Charming. He was married to Snow White for two years, she bared his child-a child that they sent through a wardrobe to break the curse of the woman that he was now bound to. The woman that he had been married to for five years, the woman who bared his child-a child that he lied beside, reminding him with each glance of the woman he now loved.

A love that had him wishing his heart was removable-rather to feel nothing than endure the agony of a hate broiled by love and a love mulled by hate. Two weeks had passed, two weeks of missing a woman he didn't want to miss, loving a woman he didn't want to love, hating a woman that he loved, waking up to their daughter-a constant reminder of his mother. It was two weeks of torture, of slow torture.

He had avoided Granny's since, invertedly making sure that he didn't run into Ruby. She and Regina were odd acquaintances, often sniping at each other. She was nosy, always wanting to know the details of their relationship to a certain boundary, probing David when she knew that something was up. He often wondered if Regina's befriending of her was to keep his and her relationship contained but now he wondered if it had more to do with Snow than him. All of the recent revelations had him questioning everything that he had once shrugged his shoulders to. Now everything had a reason, it had to have a reason.

"The usual?" The red streaked waitress spoke as soon as the door bell rung above his head. He nodded quickly, letting the door clank behind him. The noise had an abnormally grumpy fellow turn to him in annoyance, thumbing a piece of toast between his fingers.

"Leroy." He greeted curtly, the shorter man doing nothing in response as he slapped a twenty on the table and squeaked from the barstool. David ignored him, leaning on the counter as Ruby placed two full coffee cups in front of him.

"Hazelnut, no cream, two sugars."

"I forgot to tell you-Only one." He stopped her, regretting his forgetfulness.

She beamed immediately, taking one of the cups back. "I knew it!" The wolfish grin she gave him brought back the reality that, before him was a werewolf, his wife's best friend-both of his wife's friends. Although he knew Regina was more partial to Kathryn.

"You knew what?"

She pressed the coffee meant for Regina to her lips, taking a healthy swig. Granny rolled her eyes, tapping the young woman on the back and ending her caffeinated pleasure. Setting the cup down, she leaned forward with her elbows on the counter. "I haven't seen Regina either and we both know that the Mayor without coffee is like a dog without kibble." You have no idea how ironic that is. "And I know you're staying at Granny's-avoiding the hella-hormones, I get it David-trust me, I remember those days when she had Charlotte but you might want to get back home before people start to talk."

He nodded, trying not to let on that hormones weren't the only things that he was avoiding. "Alright, I'll see you Ruby!" She twisted her brows, eyeing him suspiciously as he completely ignored what she brought up and continued out the door.

Meanwhile, in a wood adorned flat on the other side of Storybrooke, the daughter that had been avoiding him was abstaining from work with her son that was abstaining from school for the day of a supposed holiday, planning Operation Cockatiel.

She wondered why Mary Margaret wasn't home if they was no school, but she wouldn't know because things had been tense between them. The woman that she knew to be her best friend was actually her mother and only one of them knew it. It was a lot to absorb and too much to go back to everyday life with. Henry was attempting to figure out what her trigger was, what would wake Mary Margaret up from her curse. Emma was more concerned with buying herself more time to adjust before the curse broke.

She had barely gotten away with explaining why Henry had to stay with them rather than the Mayor and her Sheriff husband whom Mary Margaret had a crush on. The conversation only led to why Mary Margaret should walk away from whatever feelings she thought she had for David, despite Emma knowing the truth. Even if her parents were soul mates, who knew what could happen if they got back together-the curse could break for all she knew. Henry said it wasn't possible because she had to be the one to do it but all of the technicalities flew out the window when she thought about it.

It was weird enough that she'd just endured a conversation with her mother about why she wants to clear the air with her father despite his marriage to the woman that brought them all there. Now her son was naming a mission after singing birds in an effort to wake her mother up from the curse and force her to have the talk that she had been dreading since realizing that her parents could be out there, the parents that abandoned her on the side of the road with only her name embroidered on a blanket. She was confused, seeing the blanket and thinking that the child meant to be swaddled against it's soft fabric, the child meant to keep warm beneath it and sometimes lie on top of-that child was loved, evident in the care and hand sewn name. No one does that and then just leaves their kid on the side of the road-No one.

She's been grappling with that since she could remember, so no, no she didn't want to wake her mother up just yet. Having her father awake was hard enough, what with her having to avoid him and schedule her shifts opposite his just so she wouldn't have to see him and face his puppy dog eyes. He wanted to talk she knew but truly she couldn't bring herself to give him that just yet. Let her come to terms with the fact that she was abandoned, just not for the reasons she thought. Let her grapple with the decision that head-started her life and the path she took.

While Emma was coming to terms with a history unbeknownst to herself, her mother was across town on the Mayor's doorstep doing exactly what she told her not to. She advised her friend/mother to avoid talking to David about her feelings, considering he was married and Emma know knew, he was married to The Evil Queen. But always one for trying, the petticoat clad schoolteacher rang the doorbell with the expectation of the ever-dapper Sheriff.

Instead, dressed to the nines with her briefcase in hand as if she were just about to step from the door herself, the Mayor answers the door and the teacher is taken aback. "Is Da-David here?" She stammers, wishing she had listened to Emma.

Regina quirks a brow, closing the door behind her as Mary Margaret took a step back once again. "Why do you ask?"

Her tone is sharp, straightening the intimidated woman's spine almost immediately. "I-No reason, I-I can just-Sorry for bothering you." Mary Margaret moved to scurry down the steps, removing herself from the porch as fast as she could.

"There's nothing that I can help you with Ms. Blanchard?" Suspicious of her actions, she probed, hoping that the inferior woman would crack. Mary Margaret just shook her head with a tight smile, eyes widening with relief when she made it to her car just in time. Taking a moment to collect her nerves, she jumped in her station wagon and went to the Sheriff's station, never learning from her mistakes.

When she came down the hall and opened the door, blue eyes met hers and all that she could mutter was a mousy "Hi," to which he failed to respond. He hadn't seen Snow since he got his memories back and finally laying eyes on her, he expected a rush to overcome his feelings for the unspoken woman. He expected seeing her to lift the cinder blocks from his chest, to help him breathe-to fill the gaping hole that was left when he stepped foot from the big house on Mifflin.

However, all that she gave him was silence, staring awkwardly with nothing more to say. The cinder blocks were just as heavy and his heart was just as weighted. It couldn't be-perhaps it was the curse, maybe if he-He moved swiftly to cup her cheeks without giving her a chance to rear her head back and his lips pressed against hers.

He was kissing her, he was waiting for the spark. He was waiting for the spark that he got from touching a woman that had tricked him. He was waiting for the spark that he got when he kissed a woman that had manipulated him. He waited for her curse to break so that perhaps-whatever was keeping his heart bound to that woman would release him.

There was no wave a magic that passed through the land. A wind didn't blow and a spark didn't ignite. All that she had to say when he pulled away was "Oh my." She wasn't Snow.

And even if she wasn't Snow in mind, she was Snow in spirit-he should still feel something.

His palms held gently to her face, waiting for something he knew was never going to come. She began to take a step back from him, disappointment ringing in her eyes as the man that made her heart go thumpety-thump left her with barely a spark after kissing her with a fervor she could barely match.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, his words speaking for more than she knew. He was sorry that he couldn't break her curse. He was sorry that he had fallen when she needed him. He was sorry that his heart now danced with another; his faults fell far deeper than she realized.

She was struck speechless, touching two fingers to her lips as he released his hold. He stared at her, chest heaving with sorrowful eyes and nothing more to do or say. Still glued to the linoleum floor, she watched him grab his coat from his chair, mumbling 'I'm sorry' once more before disappearing past the watermarked double doors.

The Sheriff left her in his office dumb-founded and wishing that she had listened to her friend, perhaps she wouldn't have a pang in her heart if she did.

Twenty minutes later, the doors to the Mayor's office swung open with abandon. It was the Sheriff, the Sheriff that had walked out on her mere weeks before, and she was barely moved by his presence. Her weakness is what led her to the predicament she was in, her need for love made her weak to him. Knowing how he felt about her, knowing the hate that he had for her, she had no choice but to armor her heart for whatever was going to happen next, whatever lecture she was going to receive.

She stood at her printer as a fax came through and when she opened her mouth for a witty remark, a smartass comment as he called it-he didn't lecture her, he didn't yell at her-he kissed her.

She turned around and he was standing right behind her, eyes watering with unwanted tears. He invaded her personal space and before she could object, his hands had cupped her face and his lips were pressed up against hers. She had forgotten how she missed him, how she missed the tender kisses that he would place on her lips and the warmth that accompanied them. She missed the flutter in her stomach each time his fingers touched lightly against the nape of her neck as his lips embraced hers.

She was lost in his kiss, stumbling backwards when he parted them, a solemn tear slipping down his cheek. "Dammit." He whispered under his breath, shaking his head as he neared her once more and pressed his lips to hers in a feverish kiss that charged the both of them. She angered herself, melting at the touch of a man that hated her, that she had fallen for. Her knees were weak to him, but he didn't care, allowing her to grip his leather coat until he pulled back once more, another solemn tear falling down his face to match the other. "Dammit."

He moved in on her once more, shaking his head before feeling a small palm press against the base of his chest. When he kissed her, for that moment she lied to herself, pretending that his actions had more to do with her than him. That this was him showing her that he felt the same way, even though her broken heart told her otherwise.

His wet eyes met her teary ones, his bottom lip quivering as he continued to repeat himself. "Dammit." When he kissed her-there was a spark, there were cannons. When he kissed her, the world stopped and time ceased to be an issue. When he kissed her, his breath came easy. "Dammit." When they kissed, his heart was lighter. "Dammit." When his lips brushed against hers, the cinder blocks were lifted.

She was silent, back against the wall as he eyed her, as unshed tears pooled around his blue eyes, as the hurt shined back at her, as her mess shined back at her. When they detached, his breath came shorter, ragged. "Dammit!" With a swipe of his hands, all that laid upon her desk fell to the floor. Glass ornaments shattered and her lamp meeting it's end as well. She jumped at the sound, watching as he turned around with his fingers laced around the back of his neck.

"What did you do to me?!" It was a broken whisper strangled by his anger, a sorrowful question from a man that didn't want to be a pawn. He didn't want to play the game, he just wanted to live and love. But now when he kissed his true love, the woman he fought for, that he used to watch sleep while the stars lit up her face-now when they kissed, he could feel nothing but proverbial crickets chiming in the background. No sparks, no attachment, no love.

"What did you do!?" But this woman, all he had to do was look at her and the fireworks went off in his heart. Now he was yelling, the tears caught in his throat as he came to a realization that he didn't want to face. "It's not possible!" She jumped at his words, his rage being something that she had rarely seen. He seemed angrier in that moment than when she told him who she really was.

"Dammit Regina!" Again with the broken whispers, tainted with the struggle of his tears. She was stuck to the wall, the protective barrier that she put around herself slowly crumbling as she watched the man that she used, break before her. He left her office without meeting her eyes, one of the double doors slamming so hard against the wall that she expected the glass to shatter.

He was beginning to feel the hurt, the betrayal, the anguish-He felt it all on a whole new level. And what made it worse was realizing that the love he felt for her wasn't corrupted nor was it one-sided. She felt the same way, and that's why it was so hard. Because he wanted to hate her so that he could love someone else, so that his love for Snow could trump whatever feelings he had for her. But it wasn't working, it couldn't work if there was no love left to salvage on the other side. He didn't understand how time could freeze and yet feelings still changed. How can love, stagnant for twenty eight years, fizzle like that? How could he feel nothing?

How could a love that began as an endgame to revenge be so alive? She had to have done something, she had to have cast some spell. He knew that there was no magic, and even if there was, magic could not make you love someone. Magic can't make magic-And true love is magic.

But he couldn't bring himself to admit that magic, true love even, was what he felt.

She didn't know how long she stood on the wall, a hand clutching at her chest as her breathing calmed and her eyes fell closed with her transgressions. She wasn't supposed to care, she wasn't supposed to fall in love. But she felt like his wife, she felt like he was half of her and she was half of him. So the hurt in his eyes, the heartache-it hit him and came spinning back to her. When he kissed her it was like a soul tie, binding her to the afflictions of his heart. She felt him-every part of him. And that's what made this painful for her, she could feel him but she knew that she could never have him.

Not again.


	3. Confused

Her bed was cold. She would get in their bed and slip under the sheets, feeling the warmth immediately slide against her skin. When night fell and she could always count on his arms to be wrapped around her, the worries went away, the stress was non-existent - any issues, any problems - they didn't matter. Every night when the moon made its appearance and the stars shined outside their window, casting light shadows on their walls - everything was okay.

But now, the bed was cold and she was left to hold herself at night as darkness fell and the moon failed to shine the same, the stars sparkling just a little less. His words taunted her, the memory of his lips teasing her. She felt weak when he touched her when he invaded her personal space and kissed her as if the world would stand still until she knew just how much he loved her. He kissed her and the regret rang true in his eyes, the tears he shed being the obvious conflict of his heart.

Part of her wanted to ignore his emotional turmoil but she still loved the man. On her wedding day, she made the unconscious decision to let herself love him, to cast the curse to hell and enjoy the happy ending that was bound to come to an end. She relished in the big white dress and the flowers and the church overflowing with guests - it was her chance to start over.

That was always her problem, never able to see things from hindsight. In the back of her mind, in the dusty corner that she never dared to go, she knew that what they had couldn't last, that it wouldn't last. She denied the inevitable because it helped her sleep at night, it kept her bed warm. She had to curse a thousand to get her one happy ending, do get the husband that she wanted, to have the family that she wanted - she had to curse thousands, she had to hurt and she had to kill-And now the collateral damage was nearing enough to cost her everything that she worked so hard to achieve.

But if she took a moment, to think about the lives at risk-it-all seemed too much. Charlotte, her little Charlotte was probably wondering why she hadn't seen Mommy in two weeks, why instead of her pink butterfly filled room she was sleeping in a strange place with yellow flowers on the walls. She probably wondered why Daddy looked so sad, why she never saw Mommy and Daddy together. Charlotte would suffer-daughter of The Evil Queen and Prince Charming, born of a cursed marriage. Henry would suffer, he was already suffering coming to terms with his mother's transgressions, with the knowledge that the woman that raised him had the ability - the capacity to take another life.

And then there was David. She was no longer able to look him in his eyes, to face the pain and the hurt that she had caused. The way that he looked at her spoke volumes to the love he felt but his actions spoke even louder of his hate, of the anger he felt. It was evident that he was battling within himself with each step he took, with every move he made. Everything seemed calculated at that point and she couldn't help but take it personally.

She hadn't seen him in two days, well since he came to see her in his office. She hadn't seen Charlotte and Henry in two weeks and all three reminders were beginning to get to her. Some nights she didn't sleep in her room at all, unable to face the obstacle of laying her head on a pillow next to the ghost of her fairytale-next to what she could have had.

She was being quiet at that point, not doing anything. She was taking the stares from townspeople that heard she had 'run off the Sheriff' and now he was staying in a hotel with their daughter. She was dealing with not seeing her kids, missing the milestones that her three years old was accomplishing-She was taking it because she thought she deserved it, that a punishment had to be warranted for the pain caused, someone had to suffer. She just hadn't expected it to be this bad, she didn't expect a pang in her heart every time she passed their bedrooms. She didn't expect her breath to catch when she woke up each morning and found that there was no one to make breakfast for.

Getting out of bed in the morning was a task in itself, willing herself to place two feet on the ground when she felt like the ground was on top of her instead.

Living like that from day to day was beginning to get unbearable, the agony of knowing that she brought it all on herself being nothing more than icing on the cake. Giving up the fight would be synonymous with giving up her children and that wasn't something she was up to-But she could give up with David. He didn't want her anyway. That's what she told herself. He may think that he loves her now but as soon as his precious Snow realizes who she is, all will be aligned in his mind and she's sure that any thoughts of their reconciliation will be abandoned.

At this point, her safest bet is to move on and let the chips fall where they may even if she was heartbroken in the process. It was better than staring at her door with baited breath, in hopes than any minute - any second, he would come walking through.

She loved him, but she didn't want to wake up with a heavy heart anymore. Fighting with him was costing her her kids, costing her her sanity. She was going to end it before things went any further-Before their fighting consisted of more than throwing glass ornaments to the floor.

So that's why she left her bed at the tenth hour of the night in her silk pajamas and grabbed the first coat she saw before heading out of the house. She was uneasy on the drive over, her heart seeming to beat out of her chest when she came upon the familiar path that led to the Bed & Breakfast. All it took was a quick bribe on her part to get his room number from Ruby and be standing on his doorstep.

She knocked quickly, pausing before her fist lifted again. The fairytale was over and the bliss was short lived. She was being forced to deal with the dusty corner of her mind that she never dared to go. It didn't feel good, it was blinding to stare her mistakes in the face, to realize that her kids would have to live with her mistakes, that she would have to live with them.

She was in love with a man that she knew could never love her like she wanted to be loved like Daniel loved her, like he loved Snow. Just the thought, the fantasy of five years believing that he did, acting like there was no curse, there was no Snow and Daniel was just a lost love. It was overwhelming really, the tears beginning to rise as she realized that she would never experience true love again, that what Snow and David had was rare and her attempt to take that was futile at best. She had failed.

Again.

This man - this good man, that she had hurt, that she had lied to, answered the door with bedhead and a wrinkled tee-shirt, his pajama pants hanging from his hips as his eyes adjusted to the light. When the blurriness subsided, he laid eyes on the woman that the town knew to be his wife standing before him in her silk pajamas and an open black coat, the tears flowing freely down her cheeks. This was his wife, this was the woman that tucked their daughter in at night, the woman that he brought lunch to on slow days, the woman whose shoulder's he massaged on harder days. The woman that stood before him was not the Evil Queen, but simply Regina.

"I know you hate me," She inhaled suddenly, her heavy heart beginning to weigh on her. "I hate me." Her head fell at the admission, shaky breaths releasing from her chest. "It-it wasn't supposed to be like this, I-" She bent over, feeling her stomach constrict at the mention, as she fell prey to her emotions. "You hate me and I-I hate you." She lifted her eyes and stared at blue conflicted eyes. "I-I hate you because you made me love you." Her words fell as whispers between them. "I-I wasn't supposed to love you."

There-There was the confirmation that he had been waiting for and that he had also been dreading. He wanted to know if the love that he felt was reciprocated, if he was skipping the flowery fields alone or was she right behind him. But now he knew and his choices were limited, he kissed Mary Margaret and the world spun awkwardly, without a spark or a flame. The choice was clear but the decision wasn't-To let go of the pain that he felt, the betrayal and face the ugly truth that he had fallen for the Queen.

Only he hadn't.

"I should have been honest with you." As she spoke he realized that he fell for a woman with a broken heart. "When I realized how I felt-I should have told you." He fell for a woman who had forgotten what love felt like. "I-I messed up and..." He fell for a woman that blurred the lines between right and wrong. "-And I'm so sorry." He fell for a woman that he didn't know he was waiting for until he got her.

"I just." She was emotionally spent, completely barred in front of a man that she knew hated her, a man that she knew she had hurt beyond repair. And all that she could do was show herself to him.

Without warning she stepped forward, her hands rising hesitantly before reaching the stubble that pricked her hands. She had to stand on her toes, reaching to meet her lips with his as her thumbs rubbed at his cheeks. She pulled away with a gasp, the sobs rising in her throat as the tears left her eyes.

"Regina, what are you doing?" He asked softly, feeling her hands gently caress his face with an absent reason. She needed to feel his lips once more, she needed to feel the spark, to forget the curse if only for a second and kiss the man that she called her husband.

"I'm letting you go." Her eyes could not meet his as she spoke, openly weeping before him -showing him the side that he had wanted to see without even knowing that it was exactly what he was looking for. He was angry because she lied, he was angry because she betrayed him, he was angry because the minute he remembered, he didn't see his wife anymore.

The vulnerable, the beautiful, the protective, the complex, the woman to whom he said 'I do'. His arms ached to hold her, to tell her that it was going to be okay even if it wasn't. Part of him wanted to do something but most of him wasn't ready. And so he stood there with bed head and a wrinkled tee-shirt and let the woman he hated to love and loved to hate walk away believing that he didn't feel exactly the same. That the feelings weren't mutual-Because he was angry.

He was hurt.

He was in pain.

He was confused.

One moment he wanted her to suffer through what he was and moments later he wanted to spare her from the pain - the hurt-the confusion.

"What the hell David-Go after her!" A screech penetrated the solemn atmosphere and he craned his neck down the hall to see Ruby standing at the end of the hall after eavesdropping. He was unmoving, still waking up, still relishing in the fact that she had kissed him, still coming to terms with the fact that he was too angry to care. He didn't have to break things to show her how he felt, his silence was enough.

"David!" She yelled at the dazed man, seemingly unfazed by what he was experiencing. His only response was a shut door, to which she scoffed and fished Granny's keys from her back pocket. Before she could even open the door, it flew open again to reveal that he had grabbed his coat and shoes. He passed her as if she didn't even stand there, throwing words over his shoulder-"Watch Charlotte" before making his way down the halls.

She was still parked on the sidewalk, sitting in her car until the anxiety passed, until the anguish subsided until her heart didn't feel like it was attacking her from the inside out. But of course, she relived it all when he appeared in front of her car.

She jumped and he didn't care, opening her car door that was surprisingly unlocked. He slid in the passenger's seat and closed the door beside him, adjusting himself so that he had no choice to look at her, and she had to do the same, whether it be his reflection or the real thing.

"You pursued me, allowed me to marry you, had my child-hell you're carrying my child-for revenge, ALL to rub it in the face of someone who didn't even know who she was." He listed her deeds as if she were being tried for a crime, mentioning things that he wasn't even sure of, that confused him. Was it the real thing or was it another chess move in her game?

A sigh was let from her mouth as she tilted her head back against the seat. "Your point?" She was tired of her wrongdoings flying in her face, taunting her, blocking her.

"You lied to me-you made me think that you were someone that you weren't-"

"David I don't want to do this-"

"No-Regina, this is what you don't get. You don't get to opt out-" If she got to let him go then he was forced to deal with his feelings on his own. She was taking away his choices, even if it conflicted him to have them-she couldn't just take them away. "You don't get to surrender, not when you're the one that brought this all on yourself. I'm not going to be the bad one for keeping Charlotte away, for letting rumors spread around town, for not being there for you-I didn't do anything wrong and yet I'm still the bad guy."

Exasperated, the back of her head lolled against the rest. "David you're not the bad guy." It was her that people were painting as the monster, people that had to watch them rise as a couple and now were watching them fall-She was the cold Mayor, the disconnected mother, the unattentive wife-the assumptions they made picked her apart, not him.

"I kissed Mary Margaret."

She turned her head in his direction, allowing him to see her eyes pinked with sadness. "Why are you telling me all of this?"

"Because I'm in love with you and I shouldn't be." He shook his head, wearing a spot on his forehead with his hands. "Because right now I want absolutely nothing more than to take you home-than to lie in our bed-than to wake up next to you tomorrow morning.." He closed his eyes for a moment, not being able to look at the tears that fell from her eyes. "But I can't."

"David."

"Did you curse me?" Honest eyes looking for an honest answer, something to offer rationality for his love for her-for the unconditional love that he felt but couldn't show her. When she shook her head, he sighed with the relief of knowing that she didn't do this to him and the reality that what he felt was completely and utterly real - whether it arose from fake circumstances or not.

His body shifted and he ended up in the same position that she was in, facing the sky that was all around them. "Why'd you do it?"'

She shook her head in response. "I don't know."

"Yes you do." He called her on her bull immediately, noting her lack of hesitation when she answered him without pause or thought. "Everything you do has a reason, whether it makes sense or not."

"Just like everything you do has a reason." Both were stilled, staring at the stars in the sky and the moon that watched them. "I haven't seen Charlotte in two weeks-You made Emma take Henry away and you left me with no one."

He considered not responding, letting her wonder why had done what he did."I wanted to hurt you."

"You still do." She turned her head ever so slightly, meeting his eye for a brief glance before looking back at the stars. "You may..love me, but you..you don't love me enough to forget."

She was right, or was she? The thought crossed his mind, that she didn't need him to forget - but to accept. Accept what she had done and be able to move passed it. Because the love between them only made him remember more, not forget.

"How do you feel?"

"We don't." Her eyes fell closed as the night began to wear on her and exhaustion hit. "We don't have to do this." They didn't have to play the happy couple and he didn't have to play the concerned husband. She knew how he felt about her, even if she continued to ignore his admissions of love for her. They seemed so conditional-the opposite of how he truly felt but the only way that he showed her.

"Regina, how do you feel?"

"Like my heart's going to explode." Her words shut down his thoughts, giving him pause. "I know I brought this on myself-I know I should have expected this but that doesn't mean that you're the only one that's hurting." When he could hear her breathe he knew that she was getting upset, that's how he always knew. Like when a train was coming, but you don't know until the horn is blown. "Please-please don't ask me how I feel because you don't want to know."

He had opened the floodgates.

"You don't want to know that I have barely slept in two days because you're not next to me - because I'm in a big empty house with no one to share it with and the only time there's noise is when I get up - sick to my stomach at the thought of you, of what I've done-" Her eyes fell closed at the mention." -of what I've lost." She turned to him, her voice returning to a whisper from a raised octave. "The last time that I was honest with you, you left and took my kids from me-You don't want to know how I feel."

She shrugged, feeling all emotions rise to the throne of her heart. "But you don't care, you love me but you don't care."

"Regina-"

"It's a boy." She interrupted him, closing her eyes once more. "I know you care about that." Letting out a shaky breath at the admission, she knew that sooner rather than later-it would be about the kids, not two people who couldn't make up their minds about hating to love each other or loving to hate each other.

"It's too early to tell - isn't it?" He was glad that her eyes were closed, allowing him to beam with fatherly pride, genuinely smiling for the first time in weeks.

She could tell that he was beaming but allowed him the moment. "I had an early amnio-"

"You what?! You couldn't call me- You couldn't ask my opinion?"

"I'm sorry, but you were too busy ignoring my phone calls and trashing my office - Next time you're throwing a tantrum, I'll be sure to fill you in on any news."

"I guess I deserved that."

"I guess you did."

Before him was his family, his wife, his children- a future that was no longer his. The chance to feel sorry for himself was tempting, easier to go along with than asking the questions that he really wanted to. "Can I drive you home?"

"Why?"

"Because you keep closing your eyes - You're either in a lot of pain or exhausted - or both."

She pinched the bridge of her nose, never a fan for arguing with him especially when it came to a pregnancy. "You should get back to Charlotte - It's almost 11, you know she wakes up like clockwork for a couple minutes." He met her eyes, not realizing that his hand lingered above hers on the console,

She slid her hand from beneath his and placed the car in gear, his cue that the conversation was over. He nodded, opening the car door before speaking again. "I'll be by tomorrow for the rest of my things." Her rejection of him was met with his acceptance of their split - of her letting him go. She failed to respond, the only sound being the clicking of her seatbelt and the engine of her car as she pulled away, driving home beneath a moon that shined a bit brighter and stars that sparkled a bit more.

Maybe time would allow them to heal.

Maybe.


	4. Contentious

"The floor is open for a brief Q&A session." The quarterly town hall meeting was in full swing and the room was filled with citizens, eagerly raising their hands. One of the council members suggested that perhaps, a way to spice up the meetings and engage the townspeople would be the allowance of an open forum in the last ten minutes of each meeting. Hesitantly, the Mayor opted to oblige the idea, giving it a trial run for the Summer quarterly meeting. However, no one expected the trial to be met with such immediate response, seemingly each hand raised across the room.

Everybody but the three people on the front row; as far as she could see, they weren't willing to baste her alive or badger her with their questions. They saved that for behind closed doors. Taking her eyes from the Sheriffs and her son, she nodded curtly. "Mr. Spencer." The balding man stood, the quarterly projections waving between his fingers.

"According to your dandy little handout," she resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the indignant District Attorney. "-the Sheriff's department received a significant increase in funds over the last 6 months while my offices-they received a cut."

Seeing were this was going, she leaned forward, hands clasped in front of her. "Your point, Albert?" All pleasantries being thrown out of the window.

"My point Regina-is that the Mayor's office seems to be suffering from a case of nepotism." The crowd began to murmur among themselves and Albert Spencer rose his brows, pleased at the stir that he was causing.

As he took his seat, the Mayor's gavel brought silence to the floor, leaving stray whispers and quizzical looks behind. "Well, Albert I don't think anyone here believes that they should be paying for your watch collection-especially if it's so tactfully filed under miscellaneous." She scanned the budget report quickly before raising her head once more. "The Sheriff's department received an increase in funds to accommodate the staffing of two Sheriffs-The appointment of Sheriff Swan and Sheriff Nolan from the position of Deputy after the untimely passing of Sheriff Graham." Her eyes invertedly wandered to the front row to see the three who refused to baster her, refuse to meet her eyes. "Does anyone else have legitimate questions or concerns?

A taller gentleman raised his hand, sticking out above the crowd when he stood. Regina nodded in acknowledgment. "Dr. Thatcher?"

He stood, seemingly like a giant in comparison to everyone else. "Uhh-You said that you were taking a 6 week leave at the beginning of January."

She shrugged, wishing the meeting to be over already. "Yes, I did."

"Well don't we deserve to know why our Mayor will be leaving her office abandoned for over a month-As citizens we need to be covered."

"Dr. Thatcher, to imply that I would leave Storybrooke without leadership is insulting. Perhaps you did not hear me when I said that an interim Mayor will be appointed 2 weeks prior to my scheduled absence. As for the reason-it's a private matter."

"Who's gonna be the interim Mayor, your husband?" Leroy shouted from the back, adding to the discontent of the crowd.

"Sir-despite your being out of order, I can assure you that the Mayor's office is not suffering from 'a case of nepotism' as D. A. Spencer so eloquently put it. I would never appoint my husband as-"

"Your husband?" Albert spoke above the crowd, drawing attention to himself once again. "According to the log books at Granny's Bed & Breakfast, you've been living separately for nearly three weeks."

With that accusation, hands flew up and mouths began to run, discussing the latest gossip and chattering whispers heard around the streets. Regina banged her gavel to no avail, losing control of the meeting as the details of her personal life began to spin out of control. "Silence!" The room fell quiet at her command, not even noticing the fear on the Sheriff's face as he watched the persona of her old life come to the forefront.

All eyes were on her as she deflated, her eyes closing at the prospect of telling everyone that they were indeed correct, that the Sheriff had left her. The open admission was like the final nail in the coffin, actual acceptance of what had happened. "Sheriff Nolan and I, we-"

"Have decided to renovate our home." Seeing the confliction that resided on her face, the Sheriff stood, much to his daughter's dismay, turning to face the crowd of silent spectators. "Charlotte and I-We have asthma, so in the meantime, we've been staying at Granny's-"

"Oh-Whose doing the renovations?" Albert shouted above the crowd, making it so that more folks had the same question that he did, showcasing his skepticism.

Wide eyed, Regina looked down at David whose mouth flailed open. In the midst of the crowd, Ruby nudged Gus in his ribcage and his protest was heard through City Hall. Everyone turned to look at him and his red-clad girlfriend nudged him once more, coercing him to stand. "I-" He shrieked at the pain in his ribs. "I-I'm doing the renovations."

"A mechanic?" Spencer exclaimed, not believing one word.

"Hey-he has many talents." Ruby defended, getting the side eye from her grandmother. "He does!"

"This is obviously a cover-up-A mechanic doing renovations on a house that no one has seen him enter?" Albert offered, determined to drag things out.

Before the crowd got too rowdy, the Sheriff intercepted. "How would you know who comes and goes from our home-Are you stalking my wife?" The crowd turned to Spencer, who wasn't expecting the conversation to turn back at him.

"N-No I just-" He was flailing in his sea of instigation. "Why would they need to renovate their home?"

Heads returned to the Mayor and the Sheriff, neither of them speaking. Silently, he prompted her permission to divulge their secret and she gave him a short smile, not being able to stand the act much longer. David's eyes returned to the crowd, met with Henry and Emma's stares of distress as they watched the charade play out, knowing what they knew. "To accommodate our expanding family-"

"I knew it!" Ruby exclaimed, drawing curious stares to her.

David's chuckles subsided when Henry jumped from his seat and ran from the door, Emma following close behind. The gavel sounded, leaving the Sheriff's words and Ruby's outburst to be interpreted at the town's behest. Immediately, he was met with congratulations from fellow citizens that walked up to the bench, stopping him from following after Emma and Henry. Before he could leave, Regina was already out the door with her briefcase, trailing behind them. A confused Gus made his way over and David patted his shoulder, as if to tell him that they would talk in a minute, before following after the Mayor.

Leaving the town meeting, Regina spotted Emma's yellow bug and Henry approaching it. Making her way over, she was blocked by a blonde Sheriff who stood in the gap between the two brunettes. "Miss Swan-"

"Regina, walk away-" Emma warned, her anger still inflated at the revelation that Graham had perished by the hands of the Mayor. She stood, helpless as the child she fought for ignored her presence, turning his head to the window opposite her direction.

Emma was silent, taking quick steps to the driver's side of her car as Regina fought the urge to lose her composure, to walk around the abhorrent colored death trap and take her son back. But of course, taking him back meant nothing if it was against his will. The Sheriff got in her car and buckled her seatbelt, a statement all in itself

A hand touched her arm and she jerked back at the gesture, turning her head to reveal sullen red eyes, stripped of any glitter of joy that she had possessed from hearing him refer to her as his wife once more. In that moment, she was a wife stripped of her husband, a mother stripped of her children and a Queen stripped of her throne-inconsolable by soft gestures or the whispering of sweet nothings in her ear.

"Madam Mayor." A sharp tone brought them spinning back to a false reality in which she wasn't a murderer and neither of them were royalty. The source of the voice was Albert Spencer, the D. A. that she had maintained a cordial relationship with until he attacked her during the Q&A. "Expect my petition for the position of Interim Mayor to be on your desk, first thing tomorrow morning."

She gave him her profile, aligning her features as she pulled herself together. She'd be damned if she allowed such an excuse for a man do anything but see her strive, let alone fall apart. Meeting his eyes, her voice was cool and collected. "Albert, why don't you stick with the bench-You've already proven your shortcomings with budgets and numbers."

"Can't share the spotlight for a few weeks, your majesty?" Her blood ran cold at the mention, his eyes focusing in on hers as if to gauge the reaction that she was going to give him, to see if she was going to sweat.

"What did you just say?"

"I asked you about your willingness to share the spotlight-or the political limelight if you will..." He charmed her with a short smile before crossing into the street.

David stood behind her, his brows furrowed in thought. "Did he just call you..."

She nodded, swallowing slowly as she grappled with the revelation. "He did..."

"Regina.." He paused, piecing the puzzle together in his mind. "What-What does this mean?"

With her back facing him, she straightened her neck and and fixed her face. A bore of neutrality passed over her and she turned to face him, avoiding his eyes as she spoke. "Thank you for handling that-"

"Regina-"

"Thank you." The tight smile that she offers him does more for worry then it does to placate him. The idea of Albert Spencer not only threatens the mayoral position but it threatens her personally, especially if he knows something about the curse. It would offer an explanation for the cold turn in their relationship, relative to his anger with her in the Enchanted Forest-But he couldn't have just woken up on his own.

Someone had to have triggered him.

The more he thought about it, the more Graham came to mind. The more he remembered the off-colored stories of wolf sightings that his former friend would recall, and connected it with the watery illustrations of the Huntsman from Henry's book. If wolves were Graham's trigger-What was Albert's?

Emma scoffed at the situation, letting them know that she was still there and yet to pull away from the curb. Personally, she was enamored by the odd dynamic that the pair shared; What, with Regina's evasiveness and David's off-colored need to care for her despite his feelings. It almost bothered her that he still entertained the prospect of being with her, knowing all that he knew-but of course, it was his business and rather than get involved with their drama, she'd just be there for her son and her friend.

"I was going to pick Charlotte up from daycare today..." She changed the subject, ignoring Emma's presence completely as if the blonde didn't sit eavesdropping in her yellow bug, their son reading his book in the backseat.

David rubbed at his neck, meeting brown eyes that dared him to deny her. "Regina, I don't know if that's a good idea."

Her head reared back at the the suggestion that her being with her own child, despite their previous conversation, was such an ill-advised suggestion. "Why not?"

Emma laughed, shifting her stick into drive, relishing in her adversary being in the same position that she had been in, mere weeks before. "Taste of your own medicine, Madam Mayor?"

Regina's head whipped around, rage burning in her darkened eyes as she felt the sting of her own curse come back to her. "Miss Swan that is none of your concern-The only thing you need to be worrying about is my son." With a flip of her hand, the radio began to blare, tuning the Mayor out as she sped away.

"Regina, maybe-" His offer was short lived, the only reciprocation of his attempt at a conversation being the turning of her back as she strutted down the sidewalk, meeting fellow townspeople that offered their congratulations, their critiques. Ruby talked about kicking Albert's ass and Gus asked if he was going to get paid to keep up appearances. Kathryn congratulated her and she smiled, she nodded, she fell within herself. The Regina that he knew, the woman that he thought he knew, hid within herself as if she were a shell, protecting herself from the world-from the realities.

She shielded herself from the guilt of telling Ruby that she was a wolf, telling Gus that he was a mouse and telling Katherine that she was a Princess. Her eyes were dull, her smile was cracked and the sparkle that was supposed to shine had long faded. Now she was stuck in a dark world, a curse of her own making-miserable.

After talking to her, really talking to her and seeing the battle that she fought each day to not give in to her hate, to not give in to her anger-his own battle began. She was supposed to suffer. Obviously, if you make it rain, don't be surprised when the rain drops begin to hit you too-She was getting what she asked for, what she deserved.

But she was his wife. She was the woman that he had slept by for five years; the woman that mothered his children, that he promised to love, to hold, to cherish-But was she really? That was another conflict; when did the game end and real life begin? When did he stop being a pawn and actually become her husband? When did she start loving him?

That question was powerful enough to decide their future, to decide if they even had a future. It was powerful enough to send him in the opposite direction.

10 short minutes later, he found himself in front of Granny's awaiting a person's inevitable presence. She always came on Fridays, rain or shine, for the lunch specials. Without fail, she came dollying up the street as he stood by the closed sign, knowing that Granny and Ruby probably hadn't returned from the town meeting yet. Upon meeting his eyes, she began to make a u-turn and he knew that she was avoiding him.

"Mary Margaret-" She acted as though his voice was nothing more than whistling winds, passing her ears with only a brisk chill and no meaning. However, she was no match for the jogs of Sheriff Nolan, being caught when he touched her arm and halted her steps. "Mary Margaret we need to talk.."

"David-" She spoke, her eyes downcast so that she wouldn't blush from looking in his eyes. "We have nothing to talk about."

"I'm sorry."

She smiled, looking down at her black flats. "Oh you've said that already." She tried not to recall being kissed by a man that made her heart skip twice but was embarrassed when he ran off, apologizing without even leaving a tingle on her lips.

"Mary Margaret.." His tone was softer as he bent his knees to meet her avid eyes, not missing the pink that began to flush her cheeks. "I hope that we can be friends."

"I don't know David-You, You're married and I..I..." She still liked him, and what better way to end up in a body bag than pursuing the husband of the hot-headed Mayor. She knew for a fact that the woman's bite was much fiercer than her bark-And that alone was enough to scare her into reticence.

"I think that you are...so great." Later, he would wonder if he was speaking to Snow or Mary Margaret, if he had apologized for kissing her or loving another woman. "I think that you are a strong," Snow was a brilliant archer, "...brave," She fought drones of men with only a crossbow and an attitude, "...kind," She overcame her sorrow to see the best things in the worst of people, "...smart," She was able to rally an entire court and combine two kingdoms, "...remarkable woman." She was the woman that he had waited his whole life for. "But you're right-I am married." She was his wife.

And it pained him to think that he could do no more than offer his friendship to appease his lack of feelings for her.

His smile pierced her heart for a reason she didn't understand. It was too deep to be because of a crush, to quick to be because of a kiss, days of age.

"And because you are a brave, kind, smart, remarkable woman-I'd like to be friends."

She doubted his words even though his eyes shined with sincerity. Mary Margaret was smart, she was kind, but she was also shy and ordinary-hardly what she considered remarkable and brave. But rather than combat with his image of her, she extended her hand in mock agreement, "Friends", because acceptance was much easier than actually understanding 'why'.

He opened his arms and before she could protest, they embraced-short lived, but it left her cheeks with more pigment than usual. To her, it was the beginning of what would be an, at times awkward, friendship. To him, it was a decision that he didn't know he'd be able to make until he embraced her and didn't kiss her, until he admitted his lack of feelings rather than fabricating to make up for them. David smiled and Mary Margaret blushed, but her red cheeks failed to compare to the crimson that shone in the Mayor's eyes as she rolled by in her black Mercedes.

She was impatient, just like her mother. He had wrung the doorbell twice and she was jumping all around the porch, insisting that if Mommy hadn't come to the door yet than he hadn't done it right. "Daddy, do it again!" She was demanding like her mother too, eyes widening in a mock impression as she attempted to get her way. He caved of course, his hand lifting once more before he could see her coming down the steps as he peered through the circled windows by the door. Charlotte opened her mouth so wide, an apple could have fit between her teeth. "Charlotte, she's coming..." He insisted, attempting to calm the bouncing toddler.

When the door opened, she launched herself at whoever came through with blinding faith that it would be her mother. Before she could be knocked over by 25 pounds of toddler, she bent at the knees and picked her up, loving the feeling of her small arms wrapping around her neck. "I missed you.." Mumbled words muffled against her shoulder and she could barely suppress the tears in her eyes.

"I missed you too.." Her hand rand down the length of her braid, relishing in the feel of her child in arms, of the warmth and love that radiated from such a small body. "I missed you too.."

Charlotte leaned back to look at her mother, tracing her small thumb along the wet trails on her cheeks. "Mommy big girls don't cry."

Regina chuckled through her tears, nodding her head. "Happy tears..Big girls have happy tears." She wasn't ready to know that true big girls cried for loss and gain, for hurt and happiness. She wasn't ready to know that Mommy had more bad days than good, more sad tears than happy tears.

"Happy tears?" She questioned innocently as they moved from the doorway and David stepped inside, closing the door behind them.

She nodded with a smile, kissing the hand that ran against her face. "Happy tears." Her eyes averted from her daughter's and she was forced to acknowledge him, the elephant in the room. Setting Charlotte down with more reluctance than she expected, the feeling of his eyes on her bored through her skin.

"Charlie horse, why don't you go get some of your favorite toys." Charlotte ascended the stairs carefully but quickly, hair bouncing behind her.

Regina sniffled, turning away as she wiped at her eyes but spoke with a sass as though her mouth was none the wiser to her emotions. "What did I tell you about nicknaming her after a muscle spasm."

"That's it's cute and annoying-just like me." Their usual joke failed to bring laughter, only awkward silence ensuing after his impromptu chuckled. Pulling her sweater closer, she walked towards the kitchen and he followed, still talking when she rounded the corner and stepped behind the counter. "You probably shouldn't be lifting Charlotte anymore." Her eyes lifted in his direction, unwavering as she lifted her mug, leaving only intent brown eyes staring at him as he shifted uncomfortably.

He was trying to offer some light-hearted conversation to combat their usual sullen talks and arguments but she wasn't biting, giving him silence and dirty looks.

"Shouldn't you be getting your things?"

And sass.

His hands fell against the counter in defeat and he turned around, settling on a frothy encounter that he expected to be different. Just that morning they were fine-cordial even and now she could barely offer him a civil gesture. So he turned back around...

"I thought we were working things out.."

She lifted a brow, slowly settling her mug back on the counter table so that it only made a dull clank. "You thought we were working things out?"

"Yes, I mean-We talked and we were fine and-"

"Are you the only one that gets to be upset? Do I have to smile all day to please you?" Like that damn schoolteacher.

"No, but-"

"But what?"

"But you're like this!" He gestured at her rashly. "All hormonal or whatever-"

"Really, David? You are such a tool-Insinuating that my change of moods can only be due to a chemical imbalance in my body as if I am unable to be upset otherwise."

Her rant made him take a step back, arms crossed over his chest as he studied her, watching her body language. "Regina what do you want me to do-I brought Charlotte over-"

"Oh Bravo Prince Charming, allowing The Evil Queen to see her child, perhaps they'll add that to your list of good deeds." It was a different kind of venom, not as bitter and not as angry-more hurt than anything.

Something that helped him and hurt him was knowing her. Knowing that if she was truly angry, truly, truly angry then she wouldn't even be speaking. The silent treatment worked just fine, silencing her inferiors into submission. But now she's just yelling, jumping from one thing to another as if he had wronged her in every way possible.

She was avoiding something.

"Are you sleeping with Mary Margaret?" She came out suddenly with her answer, so suddenly that the thought to prepare himself was too far to grasp.

"Mommy look-" Charlotte bounded into the kitchen, skipping happily in pink pajamas.

"Charlotte you were supposed to get your toys." David reminded, taking his eyes off of his wife.

"I did-See..." She lifted two teddy bears in the air.

"But you changed clothes."

"Cause I'm sleepy..."

"Well you can sleep at Granny's-"

Charlotte opened her mouth to protest, but the only action was the filling of her eyes and the intake of breath. "Charlotte don't-" She inhaled with jagged breaths, her bottom lip poking out in a full on pout as the tears brimmed her eyes and David's pleas were futile.

The tantrum had began.

"I-I-do-don't wanna gooooo." She whined, falling to floor as she began to wail.

David reacher for her and she kicked at him, landing a hard foot right in the middle of his chest. "Dammit." He muttered, cursing his own self when Charlotte screamed again.

"Daddy sai-said a b-bad word!" She screamed, wriggling out of his arms before running to Regina and linking onto her leg. "Mommy!" Usually one to not to tolerate tantrums, she picked up her daughter, soothing her cries with light circles on her back as she huffed and puffed. "...hate ...Granny's." She mumbled through blubbering cries and being soothed into settling down.

Regina cast her glance in David's direction, raising a brow as Charlotte calmed down, arms locked around Regina's neck for dear life. "Looks like you're making up the couch tonight."


	5. Denied

He's in the same house but he's a floor away lying on the couch instead of being within reaching distance, snoring right beside her. She presumes that she's the only one up, thinking about those that are asleep. The smile from seeing her daughter is residual, tugging at the corners of her lips every so often as a reminder that the best thing in her life is fast asleep across the hall. It's a thought that grounds her when she wants nothing more than to go downstairs and embarrass herself.

Perhaps a peek will ease her mind, just a glimpse to see what he's up to. She convinces herself that looking in on Charlotte will lessen the feeling that she's going to spy on him and reaches for her doorknob hesitantly as if it burned with an impenetrable heat. She was just going to look, just to peek. First, she stops in on Charlotte to see her curled in a ball beneath the covers, sound asleep. Pulling the door to, she makes her way to the staircase and is stopped by someone with the same look on their face. As if they had both been caught.

"I was um-I was just going to check on Charlotte." That's his excuse, she rolls her eyes internally, he stole her excuse.

"I already did." She responded, gauging his eyes for a response. He nods, hands on his hips as he stands and begins to wonder why she was staring at him. His eyebrows quirk, a gesture that catches her attention and snaps her from her roaming eyes. She eyed his bare chest once over, "You should probably put your shirt back on."

His eyes adverted as he spoke, flickering between his shoes and the walls of the hallway. "I can't do that..."

"Why not?" The glint in his eyes, tells her what she already knows, that he spilled something on himself. As dapper and strong as he may appear, he was as clumsy as all get out. She wonders why she let him be Sheriff, a klutz with a gun. "Let me guess-Drinking out of the milk carton?"

He chuckled, rubbing at his neck. "Orange juice."

"Hmm." With a second glance, she looks him over before spinning on her heels and heading back to her bedroom. "Follow me..." He obeyed, stopping at the threshold of their bedroom as a wave of nostalgia hit him like a tidal wave. The feeling of stepping in their personal sanctuary, their place of intimacy only to feel like a stranger.

Soldiering on, he steps through the door and follows her into the closet, watching as she pushed a slew of dresses to the side with her free hand holding her middle. Quickly, she locates a plain tee and takes it from the hanger to offer him.

"Are you sure you don't want this view for a couple more minutes?"

She rolled her eyes at his cockiness, throwing the shirt at his face when she turned around. "It's not that impressive."

He passed a hand over his abs before pulling the tee shirt over his head, smirking at her monotony. He knew how she really felt and that she was only trolling him at this point, crossing her arms over her chest as he stretched the shirt over his torso. Leaving that subject, his eyes glanced at the bed, completely untouched exempting the faint imprint of her laying atop of the covers. "You didn't sleep?"

She shook her head, looking anywhere and everywhere but his eyes. "I couldn't."

The two words pierce him as though it was his fault. He could tell that she was still upset during dinner, seeing as though she didn't even eat. She barely said two words to him, all of her attention being dedicated to the three year old carbon copy of herself that threw a tantrum just to stay with her mother. Her question has surprised him, caught him off guard from what he was expecting her to ask him about. He would have expected her to be angry about the lopsided braid he put in Charlotte's hair and not whether he was sleeping with Mary Margaret.

Breaking the awkward silence between them, he decided to clear the air. "Even though I do have the right to date other people-" She scoffed and he kicked himself for starting off that way. "I'm not seeing Mary Margaret-The extent of anything between us started and finished with that kiss."

She nodded, brow cocked as a though entered her mind. "So I can date other people?"

Now she was just baiting him. "Yes-I mean No, no-no you can't date other people." As his face began to redden, she smirked at how quickly he got riled up. "You're pregnant, you can't-"

"I can't what? Have a life?"

"No-You just-We're married!" He blurted ou, raising his voice a bit as if he were actually in fear that she might date someone else. Seeing the smirk on her face was enough to snap him from his outburst before laughs escaped him instead of words.

She yawned discreetly into the palm of her hands, her eyes closing for just a few seconds before she looked back at him, smiling for a reason she didn't know. It was nice, to act in ignorance, as if the world hadn't already crumbled around them, as if they weren't standing in the debris. If only for a moment, everything was fine.

It was nice.

But in all honesty-it wasn't good enough. She wished that she could talk to him, to lay on their bed and tell him what was scaring her-to have someone to bare her soul to. Her history had shown that keeping everything to herself turned out for the worse rather than for the good. She wanted to tell him that her office is over-flooded with paperwork and some days she just wants to kill her assistant that he would now recognize as one of Cinderella's step sisters. She wanted to tell him about her off-colored conversation about comics with the clerk from the grocery store that he would now recognize as one of his beloved dwarfs. She wished to tell him that the woman he left cries every night for her loss, for her sins-the woman he now knows as the Evil Queen.

She cannot escape her past nor can she glamorize it. It is what it is, a wretched story of what happens when the best of the world collides with the worst of the world. When the wretched desires of a power crazed miller's daughter and a cowardly peasant prevail against the wishful hopes of teenage ambivalence. When those who are to protect fail to do their jobs and those who are to destroy exceed at theirs. She is the collision of good and bad in a world where good doesn't always win-She has killed and she has died. She has taken and she has been robbed. She has manipulated and she has been exploited. She has cursed thousands and lives in a universe in which her pain is invalid-in which living mocks her with the idea of a happy ending that it won't let her have.

So no-being able to crack a smile in his presence does nothing to appease the stinging of her heart that occurs each time he looks at her and sees nothing but her deeds and her sins shining back at him-it isn't good enough.

"Regina? Regina, are you okay?" She had fallen from their conversation, retreating to the deep thoughts of her mind, absently minding her stomach that barely indented her night top. "Regina?" She looked up at him, eyes filled with tears that he didn't even know the story of; she didn't even know that his hand was cupping her cheek until she began to sink into his touch.

It was such a habit of his, touching her face when her eyes were hazed with things she wouldn't tell him, that he could never fathom. Would she tell him that this presence was mocking her-that his affection was torture, sweet gestures becoming gruesome slaps.

Her head turned away from him and he realized what he had done, his hand feeling numb at her action. "I'm sorry I-"

"I should try to to get some sleep, I-"

"Sure, sure." He nodded, all too ready to go downstairs and bask in his idiocy. He opened his mouth, staring into glassy eyes that turned back to him, wishing that he would disappear rather than taunt her. He walked past her, nearing the door before his heart won over his mind. He gave into what he wanted instead of what he should do-What he wanted became what he needed. "Regina?"

"Hmm-" He took a hold of her face, finding her lips in a soft in embrace that he had given into after weeks of wanting to. His want ignored her need, her need to stop him while he was ahead. Her hands reared him back, tugging at the sides of his face.

She closed her eyes, not being able to look into his as her head shook with the sobs that wracked her, that she didn't want to cry. "Don't tease me." It was a broken whisper, an earnest plea from the bottom of her heart. Her eyes opened passed the tears that broke her, that finally broke her. "It isn't fair." Her thumbs waved against his cheeks as he realized that she would have been better off with him downstairs, forsaking his want-his need. "And it's selfish." Her hands fell to her sides, having hoped too soon that he was going to stop toying with her.

A part of him wanted to back down, to leave it alone. And the other side-the confused, beaten man that had the occasion to show up-he dared to fight on. "You said you loved me."

She inhaled at the challenge, watching as his bravado grew with each second he stood before her. "That's not the point-"

"That is the point, if I kiss you-

Her hand slapped against the wall beside her, shutting down his arguments. "If you want Snow-" Now she was raging, now they were both raging and thus came the conversation that had been brewing since he came to. "You are going to go to her-Love doesn't matter anymore and we both know that-We BOTH know that-You will die an unhappy man with her than love me in spite of what I've done-You will always choose her-"

"Don't tell me what I'll do-You don't know me-"

"But I do-I DO! And that is the issue-Because I know you'll do the right thing even if it kills you." Her voice fell to a whisper, leaving only the sounds of their heaving chests to pierce the tension in the room. "Tell me that you love me even though I've killed people-" She stood in his face, eye to eye. "That my black heart doesn't bother you, that my cursing you for twenty-eight years doesn't put a damper on our wedding vows-That this marriage doesn't make your skin crawl-Tell ME!" Toe to toe. "Tell me that you won't go back to her the second she wakes up." Chest to chest. "Tell ME!" Head to head. "TELL ME-" Lips to lips.

Oh he was telling her alright, when his fingers pulled apart her top by the buttons-he was telling her. When he gripped her hips so fiercely that there were imprints-he was telling her. When he collapsed with her onto their bed without hesitation-he was telling her.

Hopefully she got the message.

X

Ignorance is bliss-that much is true. However, it is the aftermath that renders destruction. Living in the unknown, casting fears to the wind as if they fail to exist, as if dangers aren't an option. To live as though pain is a figment of one's emotions produces a small jolt of happiness-a short-lived experience in which nothing else matters.

Making love to someone as if they're the only person in the world, joining oneself with another in the dead of the night as if soul ties don't spin when you do so. Though short-lived, ignorance is something to be wished for-the ability to live in a world in which the world stops as you live, when time conducts on your accord-ignorance, it's bliss.

But it doesn't last long-And the wakeup call is brutal.

It's brutal to wake up in something that was once your marriage bed but now feels life a cheap mattress in which you consummated the downfall of your happy ending. She awoke, only to stretch out her hand to the other side knowing it would be cold-that the bed would be made and life was not a fairytale. Perhaps if she lived a life in which happiness wasn't dangled in front of her, he would still be lying next to her but once again-once again, her bed is cold.

She musters the dignity she has left to go downstairs, throwing her robe over the pajamas she wore. When she sees him, she knows that he's a coward-When she sees him standing in the foyer with their child sleeping in his arms, she knows that he is a coward. When she sees him about to leave without even a note to explain his absence when she awoke-She knows that the valiant Prince is nothing more than a coward.

"So you weren't even going to say anything?" Her presence startles him and his attention diverts from zipping up Charlotte's coat to the woman standing on the staircase.

He sighed, looking away as his voice came across as a harsh whisper, trying not to wake Charlotte. "Regina, what-what did you expect?"

"Wha-" The words fail her and the disbelief is all that she is left with. "What did I expect? WHAT DID I EXPECT?!"

"Regina I swear to G-"

"What-What did I do now? I can tell you what I didn't do-I didn't screw by myself-"

"REGINA-Fu-" His hand balled in the air, chest heaving as he stormed into the living room, presumably to put down their daughter. He returned seconds later, ascending the stairs to pull her by her elbow.

She jerked away from him, pushing at his chest so that he stumbled back down. "Don't touch me-" He ignored her, grabbing her arm once again and hauled her into the study as to not wake their sleeping daughter. "I said DON'T TOUCH ME!"

She yanked away from his hold and he let her go freely, moving his hands to the back of his neck as he paced. Pausing, he took one hand and pushed it against the door, slamming it into place. He turned to face her and she arched a brow, eyes wild as she faced him. "What?" It was venomous, drawn by her anger and his actions.

"What THE HELL is wrong with you? Have you-Have you lost your mind?"

"YES!" She bellowed back, drawing out her answer as she stood on her toes. "I have lost my damn mind." He was silent, noting the fire in her eyes, the wild look that he had seen too many times-but not in this world. "Because you keep PLAYING GAMES-"

"Oh-Oh I'm playing games-"

"What do you call sleeping with me and then ducking out before I wake up without so much as a note-What-What is that-"

"What is cursing me and forcing me to marry you-Having my kids as some type of endgame-"

"Oh it comes back to that-"

"YES, IT COMES BACK TO THAT!" His hand hit the wall and she jumped at the sound, only adding fuel to the fire. "I'm confused-I don't know what I want-"

"WELL FIGURE IT OUT-But don't tell me that you want me if you don't-"

Plagued by rage, he was red as he screamed. "I AM CONFUSED-

"YOU KEEP SAYING THAT!"

"Because it's true!" His hand swiped at the desk in front of him and the glass shattered to the floor.

"Oh great-Trash this office too."

"Shut up, Regina." He retorted, tired of her usual jeer. "Stop being a smartass and just-Just be honest with me."

"Honest about what?!"

"Why did you marry me?!"

She rolled her eyes, pinching at the bridge her nose as the frustration began to set in. "David, I am not going-"

"Yes you are-If you want me to stop telling you that I'm confused than answer my damn question-Why the hell did you marry me?" She was silent, her blank stare being the only answer that she would give him. "Regina!" He shook his head at her indolence, pulling at his jaw as he resisted the urge to drive his hand through a wall. Again.

"Why bring children into this-this mess?" Boom, another golden question that he was desperate to know the answer to. "Why finalize a plan that was never going to work with a child-With children?"

She dropped her hands by her sides, always softening at the mention of Charlotte-of a child soon to be born into a situation he didn't even ask for. "We weren't supposed to have children." It was a loaded statement, not screamed or whispered.

"So are you saying that Charlotte was a mistake-Tha-That the child you're carrying is a mistake?"

She shook her head immediately, crossing her arms over he chest. "No-I would never, that's not what I..." She watches him and wishes she didn't know him. She wishes that she hadn't spent 5 years studying the man that she slept next to. She wishes that she didn't know the meaning behind his body language, the way he shifts his weight from foot to foot, the dance of his fingers in his pockets, the downcast of his eyes to the floor, refusing to meet her own.

"Okay Prince Charming-" There was no love lost in her words, drawling with each ounce of rage that she trembled with. "Tell me-What do you suppose I do about carrying your bastard child." Is that how he saw their children-spawns of an unwanted union? "If I thought that they were mistakes, I wouldn't have gone through with the pregnancies, now would I?"

"Regina I love my kids-Don't even-don't-"

"Oh but they are MISTAKES David-" She mocked him, her voice shaking as she contained the little bit of sanity she had left. "Blemishes on your royal garb."

"Oh don't give me that crap Regina-"

"Well it's how you feel!"

"No, No-NO They aren't the mistake-YOU-YOU'RE THE MISTAKE." He shrugged, punctuating his bellows. "They can't help who their mother is."

She was always the mistake. She was the murderer, she is the manipulator, she is the witch-the blemish on his royal garb. Her children are mere products of her situation, of her curse-something that they cannot help nor change.

"I let you go." It was a whisper that he didn't expect. "You're right-they can't help who their mother is-But I love them." Her fingers stretched out by her side, flexing and curling with each pitch of her anger. "I love Charlotte, I love Henry-He may not be mine, truly-But I love him. And-" She ignored the pang in her stomach at the thought of bringing a child into the world under such circumstances, such chaos. "And I love him-" She shook her head, stepping back from him. "And I love you...But I let you go." She let out a laugh that produced tears, that bared her teeth as she attempted to maintain her composure. "I have a right to my children but we-we don't have to do this."

No more kissing.

No more midnight visits.

No more heated encounters.

"Emma will break the curse." She lifted her chin, discarding the tear that ran down his face as if it meant nothing to her. "Your friends, your family-they'll remember who you are." She nodded, offering a smile that wasn't truly a smile. "They'll heal your heart-You'll recommit yourself to Snow and we'll-we'll share custody."

"But what if that's not what I want?" His shoulders fell, spending one moment wishing that she had been struck to the chest with pointed arrows all those years ago, the next moment being spent writhing with a yearn to be with her-just to hold her, to touch her. Their relationship was like an unstable chemical reaction, ready to blow at any moment. Anything and everything set them off into a screaming match, an argument of no holds barred. "What if-What if I change my mind?" She shrugged, the words struggling passed the tears in her throat.

"Too late."

He nodded, wiping a brisk hand at his eyes before walking past her, not even stopping to get Charlotte from the living room. He just left-She released him regardless of his feelings and he took it, regardless of if he wanted to or not. She asked for one more night, just one more night with her husband. And that was what she got.

That was all she got.


	6. Damned

Each day it grew harder and harder to mask what she knew and deny what she wanted to accept. Mary Margaret was her mother but she pretended that she was her friend, her confidante in which secrets were placed and girlish laughs were shared. Well, the laughs were of course coming from Mary Margaret, not the Sheriff. She was coming to terms with the fact that the woman that had taken her in was actually her mother, she had mothered her without even knowing that it was what she was supposed to do. But Mary Margaret was her friend first-really, playing the mother-daughter roles at this point would be the act of pretending, not the friendship.

The bell chimed above the door as they sat in Granny's, the sheriff with her cocoa and the teacher with her coffee. As soon as he entered the diner, a shy grin passed Mary Margaret's face. Emma lifted a brow, not knowing the cause of her friend's adolescent blushing until she looked up and saw David approaching the counter, waving briefly before sitting on a stool.

"Mary Margaret..."

"I know, I know he's married-It's just..." She sighed, grinning into her cup.

It wasn't just that he was married, but it was the fact that they were cursed and there was no need to add fuel to a roaring flame. Technically he was cheating on Snow, considering he had knowledge of who he was. Delaying the hurt, she needed to ward of their relationship as long as she could-at least until the curse broke.

"I need a refill." Mary Margaret stood and Emma rolled her eyes, knowing that the woman could have waited until Ruby came back around but she insisted on going up to the counter where the object of her affection sat waiting on his coffee.

She put her cup down and Ruby nodded, pouring the beaker over her cup until it was three quarters full. Mary Margaret met David's eyes and she smiled, a smile that he returned-which kept her smiling even longer.

"Hey..." Ruby, the ironic bite of reality, interrupted their flirtatious stare, tapping the schoolteachers cup with her over sized nail to let her know that she could go.

Mary Margaret nodded her thanks and reached over his arm for the sugar, knocking her cup all over the sullen Sheriff. Whether it was intentional or not, no one could tell-but the wolf did speculate.

"Oh David I'm so sorry-" Ruby handed him a dish cloth and Mary Margaret took it from her, earning a wide eyed stare as she patted the Sheriff down. "Let me get that for you.."

She patted his chest briefly, fidgeting when she got to the stain that reached the seat of his pants. He chuckled, lightly taking a hold of her hand that held the cloth, lifting it from her grasps. "I'm okay-thank you." She smiled sheepishly and nodded, stepping aside as he stood and wiped himself down. Occasionally looking up to see her standing there, he decided to make friendly conversation, maybe even more than friendly.

After all-he had been let go.

"You know, we should go out for coffee sometime." He suggested, setting the rag on the counter. Ruby paused, taking Mary Margaret's empty cup for disposal.

She was beaming from ear to ear, biting her bottom lip as she nodded shyly. "We really should...as friends of course."

He chuckled, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Yeah...friends."

"Hey Mary Margaret, doesn't school start soon?" Emma spoke up, basically trying to end their conversation, the cute little laughs and the subtle blushes. The schoolteacher nodded, offering a cheeky smile and twinkling fingers as she passed him by, scurrying over to the sheriff that was already heading out the door.

"Coffee, David?" The waitress spoke up as soon as the door closed, eyeing the man suspiciously.

Catching her drift, he huffed. "Drop it Ruby."

"How's your wife?" She slapped the cloth down on the counter, wiping off the residual coffee. "You know, the Mayor-Mother of your children?"

"Ruby, seriously-cut it out, there's nothing going on."

Ruby nodded knowingly, not believing a word. "How far along is she? 14, 15 weeks?" She reached for the two coffee cups beside her and placed them on the counter. "One regular, one hazelnut decaf."

David scoffed, getting off the stool and storming towards the door without another word. Ruby squinted at him, watching as he turned the corner, probably going to go get a change of clothes.

Ruby turned around and Leroy began to sip the coffee that was intended for David. She gave him a blank look that he only returned with a shrug and snark. "Well he obviously didn't want it..."

X

It had been over a week since she'd seen him, waiting each day for him to come back demanding their daughter. But he didn't-when he left, he actually left. Part of her was relieved that her heart was no longer in a ping pong match but most of her was anxious. The curse was close to breaking and soon people would know who they were, who she was-what she had done. He would be in the mob that stormed her doorstep, demanding her head on a silver platter-wanting his vengeance.

They had taken Henry. They would take Charlotte again, she expected it completely. They'd wait out her pregnancy and kill her-she knew. They tried to do it once before and this time they'd succeed. Looking at him from across the table, she wondered if he'd pull the guillotine.

He was ready to see an arrow in her chest before; she was sure this would be no different.

"Madam Mayor?" She was forced to step away from her thoughts and address the heads of departments staring at her, awaiting her response. She sat up, pulling the lapel of her blazer forward. Quick on her feet, she called into remembrance the topic and took command of the meeting.

"As of right now, Albert Spencer is the only volunteer for the position but I don't foresee appointing him."

"Well then who will do it? Someone has to-it's too long of a time period to not have someone in charge" A gray haired council woman spoke up, seemingly vying for the job herself.

She was stoic, thinking that Snow White would probably be running the town by early January. All of this planning was just for show, things were sure to crumble before then.

"Then you leave me no choice but to shorten my leave of absence." She ignored the choking sound that came from the end of the table, presumably from the man others knew as her husband. Her eyes glanced up briefly and his eyes were wide, disapproving of her decision.

"But someone will still have to fill in for you...Who will it be?"

"That decision is pending further deliberation." She leaned forward, closing her binder as she looked over the table. "If that's all..." The longer she sat there thinking about her future, staring at the man that despised her and his daughter, who probably despised her almost as equally. "Mrs. Truman-anything further on the school-budgetary issues, how's the construction in the left wing coming along?"

"Very well. I don't believe I have anything else."

"Sidney? The Daily Mirror-Will you be covering the Miner's Day Festival this weekend?"

"As always."

"Chief Wallace, may I assume that all is well with the hospital?"

"Yes you may, Madam Mayor."

"Okay Sher..." The word faded from her lips, a lump forming in her throat at the thought. Nowadays, the mention of his name brought a beat of anxiety to her chest. "Sheriff Swan, Sheriff...Nolan." Emma met her eyes but he didn't, preferring looking at his nails rather than her. "Any concerns?"

Emma looked to David who was unresponsive. Turning back to the rest of the table, she sputtered, annoyed that he was being so childish. "Uh-we-Um, we're good, yeah we're good."

Regina nodded, not taking his insolence lightly. "Anything to add Sheriff Nolan-or are your cuticles more important?"

David shrugged, ignoring her snipe. "We're good." He never even looked up, still staring at his nails.

She almost wished that he would respond, that she could get a little rise out of him. It was as if he didn't care, as if he was completely detached. The board members looked at her and she sighed, pulling herself together. "Is the council content?" The general board members nodded and she stood, picking up her binder. "Well then, I suppose we're done here. As usual lunch, catered by Granny's, will be served in the dining hall..we're adjourned."

The group picked up their binders and briefcases and moved to the dining hall sans the Mayor, not that either Sheriff noticed. In the dining hall, Ruby stood behind the buffet table putting the final touches on the set up; it was self-serve after all.

"Hey Emma.." Ruby greeted, giving the blonde Sheriff a hug. "Why are you smiling, I thought you hated these meetings?"

"I do." She shrugged, picking up a plate. "But it's a buffet Ruby-It's worth the torture." Ruby chuckled as the blonde moved forward, skipping Sidney who was the first in line.

Looking into the group of department heads and council members, there was one person missing. She usually came in and fellowshipped a little bit, fulfilling her Mayoral duty. But this time, she was nowhere to be seen. "Hey David..."

"Hmm?"

"Where's Regina?"

He shrugged, cutting himself a piece of apple pie, always one for sweets rather than actual food. "I dunno-her office probably."

The red clad waitress squinted, eyeing him wearily. She picked up the knife he dropped and cut out a piece of pie about the same size as his. "Why don't you take her something.." She held out the plate. "So she won't have to walk back and forth."

Emma rejoined the group, her plate filled with wings and bread rolls. "When you get back, tell Granny how much I love her."

Ruby chuckled, her attention still on David as he blatantly ignored her, getting a piece of cherry pie as well. "David?"

"She can get something herself." He retorted, annoyed by her persistence.

"David, don't be an ass, take her some pie." She held out the plate and he turned his back. The former werewolf scowled and Emma held out her hand, clutching a chicken leg.

"C'mon, don't push him Rubes..."

Ruby scoffed and stormed off, going in search of the Mayor herself. Coming upon the door, marked by her official title, Ruby pushed the door open and stopped in the entranceway when she heard an audible sigh.

The Mayor was turned away from the doors, the only thing she could see being the long leather back of the chair that she sat in. "I guess that one could only hope that you would all get the message and leave me be but I suppose no one pays attention to me anyway."

"I'm sorry I just-I thought you might want some pie." Regina spun around in her chair, a regretful expression on her face as the young waitress stepped forward.

"No, no-I didn't know it was you, I..." She wasn't good with apologies nor was she used to people actually caring enough about her-people she didn't marry in a cursed life. It was foreign territory and she treated it as such. "Thank you for the-"

"Apple pie-Mrs. Truman almost lost her hand last meeting when she tried to take the last piece." Ruby chuckled, happy to see a smile on the Mayor's face. It was faint, but it was there. "Can I get you anything else?"

"No, I'm fine dear-Thank you." Usually that would have been a dismissal for anyone else but the feisty red streaked woman. She wasn't buying it for a second, especially since she should've been kicked out by then, but was currently just standing there staring at a woman with the temperament of an angry dwarf. "Is there something else?"

Ruby crossed her arms over her chest, hip cocked to the side. "You're a bad liar-What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She defended, shrugging her shoulders.

"Another lie-If it was nothing than you wouldn't have denied it, you would have just rolled your eyes and told me to get out." She sat down in one of the chairs opposite the Mayor, leaning forward with intent ears. "Spill."

Regina knitted her brows in confusion. "Spill? Spill what? I don't see a liquid anywhere-And why would I intentionally spill something?"

Ruby rolled her eyes. "I meant 'tell me'-There's obviously something wrong."

"Honestly, there's nothing to tell." She shrugged, her hand drifting to her stomach that barely bulged through her shirt. "I just haven't been feeling that.." When the words left her mouth, the pain could've doubled her over had she been standing. It was like a tight rope wrapping around her abdomen, constricting her movement, her breathing. If only for a few seconds, it was sharp and quick but strong enough to stop her from talking.

"Regina?" Ruby stood and the Mayor held up her hand, closing her eyes momentarily as it passed, breathing through it.

"I'm fine-

"Regina.."

"Really-I'm fine, it's nothing."

Ruby eyed her carefully, squinting at the usually intimidating woman. "Fine-but I swear Regina, if something is wrong with my godchild and you're just sitting here on your ass talking about 'you're fine'..."

"Miss Lucas-"Ruby rolled her eyes, the call of her last name not phasing her anymore. "Right now I'm fine but in two seconds, you won't be."

Ruby scowled playfully, still eyeing the Mayor carefully. "Fine, but I'm watching you."

Regina shook her head, still not knowing why she was friends with the red streaked waitress from Granny's. "I'm sure you are."

X

The werewolf returned to the dining hall to find most of the board members sitting and eating at separate tables. Specifically, she was looking for David and found him eating his pieces of pie with Emma and surprising Sidney. Emma kept eyeing the journalist as he was eating, wondering why the hell he would pick up a knife if he was going to eat a wing.

"Sidney, really?" Emma exclaimed, watching as he sliced into the meat as if it were a slab of pork. "It's a wing-You pick it up and you eat it."

He shivered, shaking his head as he continued to cut his chicken delicately. "That's so...barbaric."

"God, you sound like Regina." Emma mumbled, fanning out her elbows to have more room away from him as if his eating customs were contagious Seeing the red streaked brunette approach, Emma waved her closer, pointing at Sidney with her right hand. "Ruby, please tell this man that you don't use a fork and a knife to eat a chicken wing."

"Regina does."

Emma sighed, shaking her head. "So?-It's Regina, she's not normal." Ruby laughed, her eyes drifting to David who didn't seem the least bit bothered by his wife's name coming up in conversation.

"Speaking of Regina..." Emma's eyes looked up from her wing, warning the waitress not to go there. "Why don't you go see how she's doing?" It was as if the world was on mute and the former Prince could see nothing but his pie. "David." He was ignoring her, blatantly ignoring her-because he didn't want to see Regina. She had let him go, taken away his options and sent him through her door broken and angry. It seemed like things were better when they were screaming and yelling at each other, sharing midnight kisses in the midst of it all; now there was just silence, awkward stares and pent up anger that no one wanted to talk about.

He didn't want to let her go, he didn't want to be sent away-but he had given her no choice. He was still failing to see that they were just hurting themselves and the longer they went back and forth with each other, the longer it would take to repair everything. She knew that if he wanted to go back to Snow, he wouldn't be able to if he stayed with her-And she also knew that id he wanted to come back to her, they wouldn't be able to work it out constantly arguing-Whether he realized it or not, she did this for the both of them-She was stopping the bleeding.

"David." Ruby thumped him on his head and he dropped his fork, pausing in his movements.

Emma put down her wing, wiping of her greasy fingers with the napkin by her elbow. "Ruby leave him alone, c'mon."

"No-he's being an ass." She enunciated her words and David ignored her, picking his fork back up.

Sidney stood up with a smile. "I'll go check on her."

David stood immediately, throwing his napkin down and charging towards the double doors. Ruby looked at Sidney as he sat down, cocking her head to the side. "Who knew your weird thing for Regina would do some good one day?"

"I don't have a thing for the Mayor..."

Ruby sat down in David's seat, picking at his untouched pie, meeting Emma's eyes as they chuckled under their breath. "Sure ya don't..."

On the other side of City Hall, David was standing in the doorway, receiving an incredulous look after bursting though the door without so much as a knock. She was expecting it but then again she wasn't, looking him up and down to find a confused man, red and heaving.

"Can I help you?"

"Yeah-Get Ruby off my back and tell her to leave me alone!" Regina recoiled at his demands, leaning forward as he yelled by himself, seemingly for no reason. "I don't know what you told her but..."

The more he talked, the more painful it became. She almost wished that there was magic in their little town so that she could mute him, ignore his berating and yelling. At this point, he was completely tuned out, lips moving with no sound.

"Regina? Are you even listening to me?"

"No." She answered simply, hissing at the pain that struck her without remorse. Her eyes fell closed for a few seconds before she rejoined him in the moment, his yelling and her silence. "If you're done screaming at me, I think you need to leave."

He was unmoving, silently staring back at her in defiance. Her hands slammed against the desk just as his hands had done mere weeks ago. "Get out!" He turned around in a huff, storming out of her office, allowing the door to swing open and slam shut.

He left city hall and kept walking, walking and walking. Emma was his ride so he didn't have his truck but he didn't mind. He just walked, never minding his destination. He found himself in the school, his mind failing to know why he was there but his heart knowing exactly who he was in search of. After dropping Henry off countless times, he knew where her classroom was, finding it to be empty while the kids were at lunch and recess. She stood at her chalkboard, writing down her lesson plans without knowledge that he was right behind her.

"Mary Margaret, I want to be more than friends." Startled, she turned around, eyes wide as he stood before her. "I keep thinking about you." He kept thinking about what would happen when Snow woke up. "I have feelings for you." He felt guilty for being with another woman. "I want you." He wanted both but had been rejected by the other.

"David I...I don't know what to say."

"Say you want me too.

The schoolteacher's mouth flailed open, at a loss for words. "I want you too."

He wanted her and she wanted him, both for their own reasons; She was lonely and smitten and he was guilty and broken-They didn't have sparks with one another but at the time, neither of them could care.

He approached her her and she allowed him to kiss her, feeling a tinge of disappointment that there was still no change. It was as bland as before but she stayed in the kiss for the long haul. After all, they were destined to be together. Destiny was the best curse of all, an inescapable damnation to whatever life holds for you, only to be altered by true love. And if they were meant to be, then they could make it work-they could change their destiny.

He pulled away, hiding his feelings with a faint sile. Kissing her had scared him because it still wasn't the same, it was even worse then before. There was absolutely nothing between them-but between his broken need to be with somebody and her school girl crush on him, neither of them seemed to care.

The only person that did care, seemed to be the person that neither of them saw standing in the doorway, having forgotten something in the classroom.

Henry.


	7. Failed

"I'm sorry, this...this has never happened to me before." The Sheriff mumbled under his breath, tugging at the sheets that met his waist. The schoolteacher laid beside him, holding white sheets up to her chest with a sympathetic look. "I um..."

"Don't." Her hand covered his as she smiled, trying to hide her disappointment. "Don't apologize. Maybe we're just not meant to be."

He sat up, shaking his head in disbelief. They had to be meant for each other, they just had to be. Good always won, and what was true love if it could be so easily fizzled out by a curse, by five years of a life that he didn't voluntarily chooses? True love was supposed to be the most powerful magic of all, it was supposed to transcend realms and break curses. It was supposed awaken the sleeping and destroy the bad-they're love was supposed to be true.

But it was his feelings for her that weighed on him like a curse, while his love that lain on Mifflin Street provided the truth that he was looking for.

True love was genuine and natural. Nothing can force true love because the forces of the world have already orchestrated everything. Nothing was supposed to be able to change that. But here he was, lying next to the woman that his heart was supposed to beat for, that his breaths were supposed to come easier around, feeling as though he had just cheated on the woman that his heart did beat for, that his breath did come easier around.

But therein lied his dilemma. Snow White was his wife, without a shadow of a doubt. He knew that he stood before thousands and proclaimed his love for her, knowing in his heart that he wanted to love her, to build a family with her, to rule with her, to die with her. But he is sickened to realize that it is only in his mind that those feelings lie. His heart belonged to another, his heart was wed to another and nothing he did was changing that.

But he wouldn't admit it.

He would fake it until he felt something, until a spark-anything, just something appeared between them. What they had couldn't just go away, they had worked too hard. He had fought too long for her. Perhaps he had forgotten how hard he fought for the one he truly wanted, how long he waited.

Or he was ignoring it.

"You should go...before Emma and Henry come back from the park." He nodded, still feeling like two copper pennies for failing to succeed in his plan.

"Would it be too scandalous if I brought you something from Granny's?"

She chuckled, leaning into his shoulder. "I believe you owe me more than that but it's a nice start."

His cheeks flushed red and he pulled one of the sheets up with him, covering his exposed self. "What can I get you? Breakfast food? Pie? Cake?

"Oh no, Granny's food is good but her cakes never seem to rise enough." She spoke without thinking, noting his red face. Embarrassed and hungry, the Sheriff collected what was left of his dignity and picked up his pants.

"I'll just get you some eggs."

X

The bells chimed over the door and no one cared to look and see who came through, no one but the smiling werewolf that didn't know that she was a werewolf-she looked up and greeted the pair with a wave and a grin. Ruby leaned forward with her elbows on the counter as Regina stopped in front of her, smiling down at the mini reminder of herself.

"Hi!" Charlotte beamed shyly, waving her hand at the woman that let her have an extra slice of pie when her mother wasn't looking and slipped her a piece of candy on the sly.

"Hi..." Ruby dipped her head, extending her arms as Regina lifted the toddler onto one of the barstools.

The Mayor winced and the waitress lifted a brow, pushing three crayons and a color sheet in front of Charlotte. Regina waived her hand, taking Charlotte's coat off from behind before hanging it on the back of her chair. "It's nothing-She's just heavy."

Not believing a word, the werewolf rolled her eyes and set her elbow on the counter, tapping her nails. "So how long have I got the munchkin?"

"15-20 minutes tops." Ruby nodded as Regina's hand played with the fish tail braid down her daughter's back. Seeing one of the bows so loose, the Mayor pocketed one and adjusted the other so that it clipped straight to the end of the braid. "No cinnamon, no dairy, no chocolate."

Ruby squinted, slouching in disbelief. "What mother doesn't let their child have dairy-or cinnamon-or CHOCOLATE?!"

I swear, for a canine-She doesn't listen at all. "Unless you want a swollen, nauseous three year old singing about Elmo and Big Bird than I suggest you follow suit."

"Fine-Orange juice and oatmeal."

"Oh-No oatmeal."

"She can't have oatmeal either?!" Ruby exclaimed, looking at Charlotte sympathetically. She wasn't paying either of them any mind, coloring absently at the bubble lettered Granny's sign on her paper.

She grimaced, shaking her head."No I can't take the smell." The Mayor clarified, pressing a quick kiss to Charlotte's temple. "I'll be right back sweetheart."

"Mommy, can I have a cookie?" Charlotte asked sweetly, looking up with big brown eyes.

Regina hesitated, usually not allowing any sweets so early. Ruby nudged Charlotte discreetly, whispering in her ear "Poke your lip out.."

Charlotte did as she was told, poking her lip out as she gave her mother an irresistible pair of puppy eyes, swinging her feet on the barstool. Ruby threw her hands up, watching the Mayor debate within herself. "How could you say 'no' to that face?" She took hold of Charlotte's jaw gently, smooshing her cheeks together. "Look at those cheeks!"

"Give her the damn cookie." Leroy grumbled beside them, shaking his head as he hunched over his eggs and bacon. "All this cuteness is ruining my breakfast."

"Please Mommy..." Charlotte capitalized on Leroy's grumpiness and Ruby's pleading. Regina chuckled, three pairs of eyes staring at her waiting for an answer.

With a dramatic sigh, she conceded. "Fine."

Charlotte beamed happily and hugged onto her mother, sticking out her neck to press a wet kiss on her cheek. "I love you Mommy!"

Regina kissed her head as she pulled away, smoothing her hair down as Ruby moved to give the toddler a high five. Charlotte gave Ruby a high five before turning around, her small palm raised to the cranky janitor. Leroy sneered and Ruby nearly growled, prompting the man to lift a reluctant hand, not being able to help the tiniest bit of a smile that tugged at his lips when her little hand hit his. The Mayor proceeded to the door, stopping in her tracks. "But only ONE." She held out a finger and all three of them nodded vigorously, watching as she left the diner.

Ruby chuckled, twirling one of Charlotte's crayons between her fingers. "Two." Charlotte smiled and Ruby pushed away from the counter, strutting off to the kitchen. "They're still in the oven..almost done though."

Leroy leaned over, casting his glances elsewhere as he made his request. "Can I have one too?"

Ruby smirked, nodding at the gruff man. "Sure Leroy, you can have a cookie."

Around the way, Regina was heading to see a man that she didn't like to visit. She didn't like to need him, to have to go to him for her issues. He always had too much power, to much ability to pull the strings behind the puppet. And at this point she couldn't beat him-So sometimes she had to join him, or in this situation, seek his help.

"How do I break the curse?"

His hands polished something that shined when the light hit it, seemingly gold but she couldn't quite tell. "I always thought it was just an old wives tales..." He looked up with a sly grin. "..pregnancy induced amnesia."

"Gold, I don't have time for your games."

"I'm not playing any ." He shrugged innocently, eyes flickering between her face and his hands. "I told you that the child born of true love will break the curse."

"Well she knows and the curse isn't broken."

"Not my problem dearie." He blew on the gold in his hands, shining vigorously. Upon closer inspection, it was goaded with silver and ribbed cloth, thick in it's making.

"You bastard."

He chuckled, seemingly unaffected. "Obviously the hormones weren't a myth."

He didn't raise his head and was ignorant to her line of sight, but of course he probably intended for her to see what he was shining. Another one of his possessions, commodities acquired through trade and trickery.

"That's Midas' glove."

He lifted it up to the light, catching the smaller spots that he couldn't see that clearly. "That it is..." After doing so, he placed the glove on the counter, grabbing his cane before walking around the glass cases to meet the Mayor face to face. "Shall I explain or have you made the effort to figure it out?"

She was silent, processing the pieces of the puzzle-but there was always something else, something that wasn't obvious in plain sight. Her silence beckoned him to do some story telling and he did just that, rounding the Queen as if to encamp about her.

"I said that the child born of true love shall break the curse but I didn't say how." He stopped in front of her, watching as she grew impatient. "Let's just say-When our dearest Savior arrived she...activated some things."

"Like what?"

"Oh you can't be that daft dearie-the wooden parents of Jiminy Cricket's confidant, the cloak of Red Riding Hood, the Golden Glove of King Midas-"

"They're triggers.."

"Precisely!" He spun his cane on it's cap, producing a small squeak as it rubbed against the wood. "A glance is all it takes to awaken a cursed soul-"

"But Emma hasn't done anything." Regina exclaimed, growing frustrated with his half answers. "How can anything be activated if all she did was show up and take my son?!"

"Her presence is enough-ALL she had to do was show up." He sauntered back to the glass, retreating behind it. "The final battle has begun dearie-I suggest you prepare yourself." His eyes met her and for the first time in their conversation, she knew exactly what he meant. There was no riddle to decode or analogy to straighten out. The battle had begun, but not one of swords and crossbows.

Hearts were to be broken, boundaries were to be tested and the world that they lived in was soon to be turned upside down. Her issues with David were just the tip of the iceberg.

She wanted out of the shop, knowingly overstayed her welcome. It was constraining, the energy was asphyxiating-Though magic failed to be in their world, it's spirit seemed to live on in the things that the imp kept on his shelves and behind shined glass. Something, however, caught her attention.

"The cloak." She pointed to the red velvet hood hanging on the coat rack in the very corner near his office. The material dragged to the floor, short enough to be worn but long enough to surpass the hanger.

"What of it?"

"What do you want for it?"

Before he crossed over to the glass again, he met her back in the middle, looking her over in a discursive manner-not really minding the details. "It's on the house."

She furrowed her brows, not buying a word. "Nothing is ever free with you."

"Yes, but with the whirlwind that's about to hit you-you'll be back, and you'll I have something I want." He limped passed her, coming back with the red velvet she sought. She took it from him hesitantly, folding it until it fit into her purse-away from prying eyes.

Without a word, she turned to leave but his voice eerily rang in her ears. "You seem to have dropped something Your Majesty." She turned around to find him holding a cloth bow pin, the bow that refused to stay in Charlotte's hair. He extended it towards her and she took it hurriedly, making a mental note to burn it when she got home, not knowing if he made it a talisman.

He smiled and she turned to leave, ignoring the churning in her stomach that told her that something was wrong, that his smile was more than a smile and the curse was no longer just a curse.

But a war.

X

The air was crisp and the town was calm, the town was always calm. That was the one thing about Storybrooke, as messed up as it was-There was always a breath of serenity in the air, in the wind. Perhaps it was a fake town, with fake lives and fake people but the peace was real. It wasn't overwhelming, as if everything was always okay, but it was calming in a way that allowed things to be the way they are with the constant regard that the wind will blow and the air will flow-And it's just peaceful.

Sometimes.

This time, when the bells chimed above the door, again no one looked up to see who came through, not even the werewolf. All eyes were on the Sheriff sitting on the floor holding his wheezing toddler.

Their wheezing toddler.

"I called 911!"

"What does she need?"

"What did she eat?"

"Is she breathing?"

He was coaxing her to stay awake, not realizing the Mayor, his wife, standing behind him frozen, planted to the floor that seemed to grip her feet. Everyone was panicking, Ruby was near tears, Leroy was yelling and David was sitting in the middle of the floor rocking their daughter.

"She said no cinnamon, no dairy and no chocolate!" The angry dwarf yelled at the waitress from across the counter. Granny was in the corner, a finger plugged in her ear as she called 911 and Ruby began a mantra of 'I'm sorry' that the Mayor could barely register.

She was not calm, her insides had practically collapsed but she had to remain the only sane person in the room. She had to keep her cool; she had to be the wind.

Her trembling hand reached for the counter, steadying herself as she fell to her knees beside her husband, going through her purse. He didn't even notice her presence until she brushed passed him, emptying the contents of her bag. The heavy velvet fell onto the floor and he glanced at her briefly, she hadn't noticed it had fallen. Ruby leaned over the counter, wiping at her eyes to see if Charlotte was okay. Her eyes darkened immediately upon seeing it, upon seeing her cloak.

Regina fished the EpiPen from her purse, fueled by the strangled wheezing coming from her baby. Her skin was blotchy and red, breath barely escaping her. With one fluid moment, the needle was in her thigh and a gasp was heard from across the counter.

"That's mine."

She heard her, she had to have heard her. But she couldn't deal with that right now.

Regina brushed a hair out of Charlotte's face, streamed with tears and sweat and he jerked away from her. It was brief but it happened, that was something she couldn't deny. Hearing the sirens in the background, he cradled her head and allowed her to curl into him, standing so he could walk out of the diner. Without a word between them, Regina refilled her purse, picking up her belongings until all that was left was the cloak. Balled by her fists she picked that up as well, a hand on the counter as she stood.

She felt a hand on her arm as she did so, helping her up. Looking back, it was the unusually hostile dwarf, never with a kind word to say. She offered him a short smile and turned to look at the werewolf that stood before her, eyes shining with hurt and betrayal that could barely be placed.

She bundled the red warm cloth into the girl's hand, a mumbled 'I'm sorry' being spoken between them, similar to the mantra started before by the frazzled waitress. A throb in her abdomen began again as she rushed out of the door, seeing Charlotte being loaded onto the ambulance and she lost the one friend that she had.

In a cursed world of course.

Where nothing was real anyway.

Right?

X

Hours later she found herself sitting in a dimly lit waiting room, relieved that Charlotte was going to be okay, she hadn't lost consciousness and everything was going to be fine. She knew that-But it didn't feel that way. It felt as though the world had collapsed on top of her and she was struggling to breathe beneath the debris. The pain in Ruby's eyes, the anger was impossible to ignore or miss. She looked at her just at David had, as if she had betrayed her, tricked her, bamboozled her. She stole their lives and she didn't expect forgiveness anytime soon.

Or ever.

Little Charlotte was sleeping in another room and she couldn't help but feel that it was her fault. That she said yes to a cookie that she didn't know would cause such an uproar. She should have been clearer, she should have said no. She could have done a million thing to prevent this but she didn't and now they were where they were. All because of a cinnamon raisin cookie.

Absently stroking the small bump that she acquired, she knew that she didn't look as far along as she was. But there was indeed a child in there, another life to nurture, another soul to love, another child for him to take away. He would surely take their daughter back, despite it not really being her fault. But she blamed herself and she was without doubt that he did as well. He barely said a word, unable to look in her eyes on the ride over.

Part of her wanted to object to his behavior openly, knowing that it is him and not her that has been having the attitude issues lately but she felt below reproach, especially after everything that had happened. Most would think that she regarded herself above it, and on the outside she did but truthfully, honestly, guilt was what wracked her day and night. Not pride and not triumph for having bedded Snow White's Prince.

Speaking of the Prince, he was watching her. There was a short corridor between the room and the waiting area, a space where he stood in speculation of her feelings. Yes he was raging, fuming that his sweet Charlie-horse had to endure what she had that day. He was angry with Ruby for feeding her a cookie that she was allergic to. He was angry with Regina for leaving their daughter with a waitress that wore 8 inch heels like tennis shoes-of course in another world they were closer but Ruby wasn't the first person they thought of when Charlotte needed to be watched.

She fell apart, below the debris, below the ashes and the stones and the bricks, she finally fell apart. The sobs the shook her were quiet, untold by the untrained ear and the untrained eye. He however was watching her and his anger loosened from his control, seemingly evaporating. Part of him wanted to remain upset with her, give him an excuse to remain with a woman that he didn't love, give him an excuse for knowingly doing something that would hurt her. But the other part of him won out.

The part of him that constricted at the sight of her tears, that felt her pain in his heart the minute it hit her. The part of him that didn't deny the unmistakable connection that they shared, that bonded them like soul ties. The part of him that succeeded sat beside her and placed a familiar hand on her shoulder. The weight, the heart behind it, the love behind it-she knew who it was. She glanced over at him, seeing a hand that still shone with his wedding ring.

"Regina."

She didn't want the weight, she didn't want his heart or the love behind it-The last time she accepted it, there seemed to be some sort of cruel joke behind it. The tears that fell were the last of them as she straightened her back, gripping the armrests to gather herself beyond her pain; physical and emotional.

The walls were her preference of sight, not him, rather to see the nicks in plaster across the way than look at him and meet his anger, judgment. Truthfully, she could barely look him in the eyes, indignant with his behavior. He had the gall to leave without even a call to see how his daughter was but something goes wrong and it's on her, while he is the superhero who shields their child from her.

Because she's the Evil Queen.

He treated her like the plaster on the wall. He couldn't see through her, he couldn't understand what she was made up of, why she stood, why she did what she did. So he looked at her, he leaned on her, he ignored her, he picked at her-like chipped plaster...on a wall. The thought brought her to a stream of anger that she didn't want to enter. She didn't want to think about the fact that he never ever missed a doctor's appointment, not until she told him. He would never go a day without seeing Charlotte, not until she told him.

She wondered if he still cared about his children in the same way. In the beginning she brushed off the notion, believing in her heart that he could never stop loving his children. But did he call? Did he try to see Charlotte since?

"Why are you here? You've seen Charlotte and she's fine. Now you can go do...Whatever the hell it is that you do."

The chill in her voice struck him and rose his defenses, defeating the part of him that let go of the anger he held. "She's my daughter Regina, I care-"

"You lost the right to care the minute you walked out of my door that morning."

"I was walking away from you, not Charlotte."

"Than why didn't you come see her? Why didn't you pick up the phone-You could have done a lot of things David because like it or not, I'm her mother and you're going to have to deal with me when it comes to her." He couldn't really compare the two of them because when he took Charlotte, she called but he didn't pick up the phone. She asked to see her and every request was shot down.

He jumped to his feet, stunned that he was being accused of not caring about his child. "It is because of YOUR carelessness that we are here." His finger pointed in her direction and she recoiled at the gesture, not accepting his blame. "It is because of YOU that Charlotte is in the hospital-Don't tell me that I don't care when I was the one that-"

"That what? Held her while she suffocated?-You didn't even have an Epi-Pen with you!" Her voice rose, straining to a rasp. "Always, ALWAYS!" Her hand struck the armrest for each vile he was supposed to have." From day one, there is one in the car, one in the office and one in your jacket-You always kept one in your jacket. I told you that it was unnecessary but you..." Her eyes welled but she ignored it, shaking her head at the dissolution of her family. "...you did it anyway."

Rather than weep in front of a man that she no longer deemed worthy of her tears, she gathered herself, deciding to go to Charlotte's room and check on her as she slept rather than argue with her father

Life had other plans, hitting her with a sharp pain that had dulled throughout the week. Before it was something she could ignore, it was going away but now it had struck her right in front of him, inescapable to his eye. "Regina?"

He reached for her but she batted his hand away as her eyes fell closed and she fell back into the chair that she tried to rise from. "This doesn't concern you." She spoke through gritted teeth, gripping at her middle protectively, trying to pass off the pain with futile attempts.

"What do you mean, it doesn't concern me?-You're practically writhing-"

"You didn't notice at City Hall, why bother now?" She raked a hand through her hair, no longer caring as she became subject to the pain that coursed through her.

He is bereft of a response, their exchange prior to the meeting being the only thing that comes mind. Tell me-What do you suppose I do about carrying your bastard child? Her voice rang in his thoughts. If I thought that they were mistakes, I wouldn't have gone through with the pregnancies, now would I?

She wasn't crazy enough to-She would never-He couldn't finished the thought, clouded by his perceptions and misconceptions as he looked at her, meeting her blood shot eyes with his, raging for an answer.

"What did you do?!"


	8. Fragile

The effort of trying to figure out what he was talking about was tempting but she didn't take the bait, reeling her head back at the accusation. "I don't know what you're talking about." Her words were cool but not careless, conveying her annoyance but not her anger.

Her ambiguity frustrated him to know end; he was barely able to restrain himself from shaking some sense into her. How can she possibly not know what he was talking about? She said, precisely, that if she didn't want the child then she wouldn't go through with the pregnancy. And now, suddenly, in his presence and in a hospital she's nearly bent over in pain.

"I'm talking about our son Regina I-" He paused, dragging a ragged palm down his face as he lowered his voice to draw less attention. "What did you do?"

She couldn't tell if it was her heart that was hurting, pierced at the assumption that she could have any malicious intent towards her own child. She dipped her head in question, her tone low and even as she spoke. "Do you really think that I could..." The leveled voice that she kept cracked at the realization that, yes, he did believe that she was capable of doing something so heinous.

The doubt had left his eyes

"I would never-"

"Hurt him?" His anger cut her defense as he stood over her, hands propped on his hips. "Yeah, well your ten year old son, that happens to hate you, says otherwise." Unmoved by the hurt that played in her eyes, he didn't expect her to saying anything in retaliation because he knew that she was guilty. She had to be the woman that cursed him and his wife, the woman whose heart was so black that love turned away at the sight. She was the Evil Queen and she couldn't change, she wouldn't change.

He knew it.

She was silent, averting her eyes as she moved to pick up her purse in the chair beside her. She'd rather sit with pain in peace than have her feelings trampled on in a dim waiting room with nosy nurses passing by. Her attempts were thwarted, however, when she stood. "You're not going anywhere."

"Excuse me?" First he accuses her of child neglect and abuse, then he deduces her to a horrible mother and now he prevents her from leaving. The stare that her eyes reflect nearly burn a hole in his head, but she remains silent. There was no need to begin a screaming match in such a public forum over something that she knew was petty and misguided..

"I don't believe you." His finger pointed in her direction and she shook her head at his scolding as if she were a child with icing around her mouth telling him she hadn't had any cake.

"You mean you don't believe in me." She corrected him, knowing that this stemmed much deeper than a couple of sharp pains. "Because any man whose wife tells him-"

"You're not my wife."

The recoil was quick, and barely noticeable as she registered her features with the cool, the calm and the collected that she wanted to feel rather than the rage, the anger and the hurt that she did feel. "Fine." She enunciated, standing in front of him. "Any man who sees the mother of his children in pain doesn't turn it around on her without a second thought-Any good man that is."

"Oh don't you dare turn this around on me, you-" He paused, hearing footsteps behind him.

Dr. Whale came down the hallway, clicking his pen in one hand while Charlotte's chart was in the other. "Are you two okay?"

"Umm yes.." David answered, plastering on a concerned look as his hand touched her shoulder and she nearly slapped it away. "We were wondering if you could do us a favor..."

X

She knew what the issue was but she wouldn't bother trying to explain it to him. At this point, it was truly like talking to the wall; he had his own mind made up and was hearing none of what she had to say. Rather than wrangle her point, silence was a far more attractive option. But it was also an option that he was not choosing to take.

"So what do you think this is?" David questioned, standing in the corner as Regina lied back hesitantly, eyeing him each time his mouth opened with a question.

Dr. Whale flashed the Sheriff a curious smile, trying not to seem agitated by his constant questions. With three buttons undone, the Mayor lied back exposed and in pain with only her modest bump to show for it. Being the same man that delivered Charlotte, he was always careful with how he handled her; personally and medically.

"I'm sure it's the same thing Regina and I discussed last week." He placed a gentle hand to the bottom of her abdomen, releasing when she winced at the pressure. "Round ligament pain."

"You talked about it?" He scoffed, thinking that she knew how to cover her tracks. "You didn't go in for an exam?" She ignored his indignance, turning her head at his question. Whale lifted a brow, noting their frothy relationship as he placed another gloved touch to her lower stomach. "Can this type of pain be...induced?"

"Are you kidding me?" She mumbled, rolling her eyes as she recovered from the pressure Whale was placing on her sore spots.

"David, you don't remember this issue with Charlotte?" The doctor questioned, looking up at the cold Sheriff. "It wasn't this bad but it's pretty common among woman overall-it's natural."

"So she can't cause this?"

"Wha-" Whale squinted, confused by the awkward suggestion. "I'm not sure I understand what you're asking me."

"My dear husband..." Her words were more of a slap then a salute of endearment. "...would like to know if any of this affects our son."

"Charlotte turned out great didn't she?" Whale asked before requesting something of the Sheriff. "Hit the lights, will you?"

The room dimmed considerably and David leaned against the door, scoffing at the question. "My daughter could have died today."

If she hadn't shivered in response to the cool gel meeting her skin, she probably would have thrown something at him. "She's fine."

"No thanks to you."

"Are you kidding me?"

"No Regina, unlike you, I don't play with our children's lives."

Dr. Whale turned around, eyeing the Sheriff briefly with a bit of surprise written on his face. Quickly, he turned his attention back to the probe in his hand, but not without hearing from the talkative Sheriff.

"Is there a problem?"

"No, no..." He shrugged nonchalantly, passing it off as a mere glance. "Just...nothing."

"Is something wrong?"

Whale shook his head, following an invisible pattern on her stomach with the probe cold probe. "I've just never heard you talk to her like that."

Any rebuttal that David formed fell quiet on his tongue, qualming the anger he felt into an unexpected emotion-something he didn't expect to feel: guilt. But of course, it was the mindset that he wasn't wrong, that he couldn't be wrong, that he was totally justified-That's what messed him up.

"Anyways..." Dr. Whale drawled, trying to break the awkward silence he had created. "This should be exciting for you Sheriff," his smile was as strange as the conversation, "..first time seeing your boy after finding out that it...was a boy."

David eased away from the wall, slowly stepping into the line of sight as the dark picture became clearer and the form of their child was easier to make out. "He's so small..." His tone was laced with amusement and amazement, eyes trained on his son.

"Yup...About the size of a bell pepper."

He nodded, nearing his wife with a reticence that could only be spawned by embarrassment. He had taken the first three letters of assumption and ran with it, lacking any remorse for his options because he was right and she was wrong. She was the woman that cursed him and his wife, the woman whose heart was so black that love turned away at the sight. She was the Evil Queen and she couldn't change, she wouldn't change.

He had forgotten that she was a person too.

It was the look on her face that reminded him. The shine of unshed tears in her eyes that made him see her as the woman that he had loved for five years without thinking twice about it, the woman whose capacity to love her family grew everyday. She was the mother of his children and she hadn't changed since telling him about the curse.

He had.

The galloping heartbeat that sounded throughout the room was all he heard, leading him to a sustained silence until the moment was over and the awkwardness returned. "Strong heartbeat, just the right size...I can run some tests if you still have concerns..."

"No that's okay." David's responded as Dr. Whale handed his silent wife a cloth to discard the gel on her skin.

"Here ya go...a keepsake." He handed the expectant father a small photo, a still of his son." "I'll give you two a moment."

Dr. Whale closed the door behind him and David looked up to see Regina pushing herself up from the cushioned table, stirring him to offer his hand. He did so and she declined, sitting up by herself before tucking her blouse back into her skirt. "Regina-"

"I should go check on Charlotte." She moved passed him and he made no moves to stop her, only following behind her as she left. Silence was better than arguments and apologies made of feelings they didn't want to explore and emotions they didn't want to feel.

They got to Charlotte's room and she closed the door in his face, leaving him in the hallway echoed with the footsteps of nurses and visitors. "David!" He turned around and two arms flung around him, nearly causing him to stumble.

"Henry-Wha-" He looked up to see Emma and Mary Margaret coming down the hallway at a slow jog, concern etched over their features.

"Is Charlotte okay?" Mary Margaret asked, coming to a halt in front of Charlotte's door.

"Yeah, Ruby told us what happened." Emma spoke up, walking towards the rest of them.

"Is she okay?" Henry asked, looking up to David with heightened brows just like his mother.

"When you didn't come back, I was worried." Mary Margaret blurted out, inciting stares and open mouths.

"I-I knew it!" Henry beamed, hugging David tighter. "You two are together-you made the right choice." His eyes flickered between the White Queen and her supposed Prince and Emma's mouth flapped open.

"You said you were grading this morning." Emma mumbled, getting a glaring look from Mary Margaret. "Let's...go check out the gift shop, maybe we'll get something for Charlotte." Emma reached for Henry, attempting to extract herself from the moment.

Weary to leave, the young boy eyed his teacher and the man that had played a father to him for 5 years, giving them both a toothy grin. He probably wouldn't have been smiling so much if he knew how much of a toll it was taking on both of them-That true love isn't always easy and sometimes, it's not even true love.

Emma and Henry bounded off, leaving a doe-eyed Mary Margaret and a nervous Sheriff, clutching an ultrasound photo. Realizing that it was bending under his touch, he slid it in his back pocket without a word to the woman that stood before him. She cleared her throat and he looked up, smiling sheepishly. "Oh-I'm sorry about this morning, I..um-I went to Granny's and Charlotte was-"

"No, I understand." The school teacher nodded, waiving her hand. "I just...I wanted to talk to you." His stare beckoned her to continue. "Are we..." She gestured between them, painting a blurry picture, something that he couldn't understand. "...together?"

The door between them opened to reveal an exhausted Mayor, her eyes immediately finding who she looking for, completely disregarding the shocked teacher. "She's asking for you." Her voice was low and hoarse as she spoke, looking him over and noting his odd stance-almost as if he was hiding something.

She followed his line of sight and found the teacher that she was ignoring standing there nervously, hands trembling in front of her. "Ms. Blanchard..  
"M-Mayor Mills..or Mayor Nolan, I um-Mayor Mills-Nolan." Regina eyed her carefully, knowing that the woman had never had any issue greeting her before, always a stutterer and always one to call her Mayor Mills. "Oh God..." She mumbled under her breath, averting her eyes to the floor as her foot tapped sporadically.

"Ms. Blanchard, we are in a hospital if you need medical attention."

"Regina." David scolded lightly, out of habit. Mary Margaret's cheeks flushed a violent red and Regina shrugged him off, paying it no mind.

"Turns out, I don't know where the gift shop is and well-rather than get lost..." Emma's voice trailed off seeing the three of them standing there. Close behind her was Henry, who quickly made assumptions based on what he saw. David was obviously nervous, Mary Margaret's face could be compared to a farmer's market tomato and Regina was standing in between them with her arms crossed over her chest

"Henry.." The Mayor's glare of intrigue immediately softened, the involuntary smile that tugged at her lips being a side-effect of seeing her son.

He stopped, taking a step back as if she was advancing towards him, but really she was stone still. "Did you tell her?" He disregarded his mother's greeting and went straight to David, eyes wide with excitement.

Regina was silent until she realized that he was talking about her, that she was the odd man out. But of course, she was always the odd one out. "Tell me what?" She looked to David, accusing eyes darting in his direction.  
"Tell me...what?" She was demanding to know, to be made knowledgeable of what everyone seemed to know except her.

"You're gonna lose." Out of the mouth of the son that she loved, that she had cared for-That is who it came from. His tone was nothing short of triumphant, victorious at besting the Queen.

"Kid, don't-" Emma reached and tugged at his shoulder. As much as she didn't like the woman, and as much as she wanted her parents together-The curse hadn't broken; it was still too messy.

"They're finally together." He smiled, despite Emma's protest. "Snow White and Prince Charming are gonna have their happy ending."

"Regina I'm so sorry." Mary Margaret sobbed into her palm, turning around at the sight of the woman that she had wronged.

She had let him go and he ran to her-like she thought he would. She didn't know how much it was affect her, what it would do to her until she heard the words. Out of the mouths of babes sprung the destruction of what she had hoped for, what she had placed her faith in. It was with a grain of salt that she released him, that she told him it was too late, that she sent him off to go galloping into the sunset with Snow White. She half expected him to wait until the curse had broken, to spare her the pain.

But he did no such thing.

A bile churned in her stomach and she turned her head, wishing to look at none of them. Whatever they had done, whatever they had planned to do-it made her sick, sick enough to feel as though she was a woman that had been cheated on.

In the realities of realties, he really wasn't her husband. In the grand scheme of things, she released him to be Prince Charming, to live out his happy ending. In the end, she steered his confusion towards the other woman of his affections and told him to go at it. She just failed to realize how confused she was, how much she really did want him until it was too late.

Just like she told him it would be.

Regina's presence before them was short lived. Coming to herself, she turned on her heels and left with slow methodical steps. Henry, oblivious to the tone of the room, turned to David with an ambivalence inappropriate for the moment. "I told you, good always wins."

And then there are times when no one wins at all.

X

He found her in a place that she would have never gone unless she truly needed space, unless there was no place else to go. There might be someone outside and in a hospital filled with nosy nurses, the halls were not drama friendly. So he found her in a supply closet, backed up against a bare wall as she gathered herself, as she prepared herself.

"I didn't want you to find out this way."

At this point, she'd rather stare at the mop in the corner-it was cleaner than he was. "You couldn't wait until the curse was broken?"

"We don't know how long that'll take and I-"

"You what-You needed to get sleep with your true love to get through the day?!" Her voice was devoid of feeling, seemingly empty.

"You told me to go back to her." He rationalized, keeping an even tone.

"And you couldn't wait?"

"I don't think I owe you that."

She nodded as her tongue pressed against her cheek and she looked away from him. "This whole town knows that we're married and that we have a child and that we-" Her voice rasped out and she shrugged, finally meeting his eyes again. "You couldn't wait?"

"You told me to go back to her."

"And you said that you didn't know if you wanted to-Apparently you did because the first place you ended up was her bed."

"We didn't do anything." She eyed him incredulously and his arms flailed beside him. "We tried but we didn't get anywhere."

She took a deep breath, eyes fixed on him as he held his shaky ground. She knew that he knew what he was doing, that he didn't feel what he was telling her but something was keeping him from telling the truth. Something broke his nerve to follow his heart.

"Do you want to know the worst part of it all?" Her eyes glossed over with tears stained by anger and hurt. "You didn't even tell me." She neared him, crossing the small floor space. "Perhaps I would have taken it better if my son wasn't the one to tell me that you were sleeping with his teacher."

"Regina I didn't know-"

"No..." She sniffled crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't want to hear it-I won't be embarrassed by you or your little snow flake again." Her wounds were never allowed to heal and she was tired, tired of being trampled on. Perhaps she brought things on herself but it gave no one else the right to make it worse, to make sure that she relived her pain everyday.

"If you go public with your relationship, I will end you." Their conversation had quickly turned to the days of which he was familiar with, days in which he rivaled the woman he stood before instead of caring for her, days filled with hate instead of reluctant love.

"I didn't plan on it-But if I did, it's my choice." It was purposely defiant, not allowing his power to be diminished by her threats.

She chuckled, cynically paralleled to the tears that welled in her eyes. She had to switch personas, bring out the brash and vengeful Queen so that the vulnerable broken woman she had let out could heal again. "You don't have any choices-You've made your choice and that alone has cost you everything."

"What are you-"

"You can either wait until the curse breaks to pursue your cliched romance or-" She swallowed, scraping up the last bit of bravado she needed to face him without fear of losing him; She had lost him long ago. "I will take your job, I will take your reputation, I will take your children," she spoke with a tremor, vigorous in determination. "I will destroy you..if it is the last thing I do."

She wanted to scream and she wanted to shout. She wanted to punch him in the face and watch him stumble into the shelves. She wanted him to suffer, she wanted him to feel what she was feeling, to feel the churn in her stomach and the bile in her throat. Yes, she had pulled the trigger but did that mean she didn't feel the bullet? Was she not entitled to the pain she felt?

She believed that he didn't think so, that he was willing to strip her of her right to feel angry, to feel hurt. He was treating her like she had changed and now she has. He no longer had the privilege of looking into the eyes of the wife that he had loved for five years, no, she was too hurt to be seen.

A victim of self-fulfilling prophecy, he expected no better of her, accused her of what was below her standing and stripped away the Mrs. to her name. He left her with nothing but a battered heart and a bruised ego; she was nude before him, emotionally vulnerable and bare of all coverings. She was bound to fall into what was safe, what was comfortable-even if it was what she hated the most.

She exited the space with a slam that knocked supplies from it's shelves as they shook against the wall. He was given options, once again, choosing to go public with his relationship, resulting in the untimely demise of his reputation and without knowledge of how long it would take the curse to break, it was something that could go horribly wrong. Or he could wait, adhere to her request despite the dent it would put in his manhood and fail to pursue his true love, facing the unrequited consequences later. Two options;

Hopefully, this time, he'd pick the right one.


	9. Gifted

Emma Swan was tired of looking at Mary Margaret's face. She loved her like family, in fact the woman was family, but the sulking had to stop. Two weeks had passed since their awkward encounter and the pixie haired woman still sat by the phone, waiting for a call that wouldn't come. At first it was sad to see her, day by day, with the same look on her face, the same broken hope in her eyes, but at this point it was beginning to be a bit much.

Emma knew better knew than most that when life throws you a hurdle and you trip over it, you dust it off and get back up. All Mary Margaret seemed to be doing was nursing her wounds with pitiful puppy dog eyes. The Sheriff eyed the school teacher wearily, debating if she should say something to snap the woman out of her funk, to brighten the solemn apartment.

"Hey, I was thinking about going to Granny's on my lunch break..." She spoke slowly as the woman sat by the phone, staring out into the window watching the clock tower while she ate her morning cereal.

"Granny always has good lunch specials.." Her tone came as monotonous and distant, with her attention being seized by the once dormant clock that now ticked to it's heart's content.

"Wanna join me?"

She never turned around, steadily shoveling soggy corn flakes into her mouth. "Join you for what?"

Emma huffed irritably, wishing the woman would snap out of it. "For lunch-Do you want to join me for lunch?" She repeated her phrasing like a mantra, hoping she would get the message.

Mary Margaret's shoulders fell with an exhale and she spooned up another helping of cereal, declining the blonde Sheriff's offer. "I'm fine, thank you."

"Mary Margaret." she was cautious, taking a seat on the bed near the window. "Don't you think it's time you..."

"Got over him?" She turned to her friend and set her bowl down, raising a brow. "We haven't seen each other in two weeks, he doesn't return my calls and he's changed the time he goes to Granny's in the morning-We, we had something and now he's just...he's gone." Their eyes met and the pixie haired teacher couldn't help the tears that shined in her eyes. "How do I get over that?"

Her hands dropped to her lap in defeat. "Not to mention that he's already married..."

Emma was silent, cursing herself for ever saying anything. She couldn't tell her that the man was actually her husband and she had every right to find him, to pursue him. She couldn't tell her that her husband had fallen for another woman and was now avoiding her to evade the task of telling her the truth.

"Do you know something?" She questioned, watching the haze over Emma's eyes come and go as the thoughts fluttered in her head.

"Uh-N-No, no I was just thinking that Henry is taking way too long to get dressed.." She offered a sheepish smile, acting as though she didn't see the suspicious look on Mary Margaret's face. They both knew she knew something but neither of them chose to explore it.

Across town the bell tolled above David's head as he stepped into Mr. Gold's shop, seeking answers to questions that he had been afraid to ask. It was rare that he was even in the man's presence being that they never had a reason to cross paths. Now that he remembered, the sinister feeling of stepping into the pawn shop was explained and Regina's strong dislike for the limping lawyer was understood.

"David Nolan, to what do I owe this charming pleasure?" Gold looked up with a smile that really couldn't be categorized as such. Really he was just curving the ends of his lips to bare his teeth, far more intimidating than a simple greeting.

"I need to know how to break the curse." He cut right to the point, not bothering to beat around the bush with a man known for his riddles and tricks.

"Why don't you ask your wife, it's her curse." He sniped, seemingly uninterested in the man that stood before him. He simply had nothing to offer and thus, was of no use.

"Well, you were the one who made it." He retorted, not seeing how it mattered.

"Yes, but she was the one to cast it." David shrugged and Gold waived his hand, unwilling to participate in the conversation any longer. "If you truly want to know what you seek then seek who you truly want."

"What the hell are you talking about?" He was getting frustrated, barely one to be able to finish a crossword puzzle let alone and analogous prophecy.

"Glean from it what you must." Gold shooed him away, dismissive in his tone as he turned to walk away without really giving the man anything to go on. Agitated, David sighed and left without giving any real though to the Dark One's words.

Perhaps if he did, the next couple of days would run a tad smoother.

X

Two weeks had passed since she closed herself off to him, since she fell back into the abyss of familiarity and dislike. It was easier to protect herself when he didn't know she cared, when she was cold, when she was calculated. It seemed to have worked because he wasn't seeing the nymphish schoolteacher anymore and they had yet to get into an argument. Their interactions were limited to the Hellos and Goodbyes that were customary when seeing a stranger rather than someone to have lied next to for years on end.

She couldn't say that she was content with it but it surely was less stressful than beginning a new fight each week, hurling threats at each other. So for the time being, the ignored pang in her heart each morning when he picked up Charlotte was worth it; the lingered silence they shared with awkward glances were worth the exchange. At least they weren't hurting each other anymore.

Not intentionally.

The day was winding to a close and it was around the time that she'd usually make dinner. As of late, she strayed from intricate meals and stuck to the simple lasagnas that were easy to prepare and quicker than those that required her to stand on her feet for much longer. At this point David would be the one cooking dinner, insisting that she nap everyday. No, no she wouldn't think about him.

She was done. He had pushed her too far and she had showed him the side that he had been accusing her of having, of relishing in. He pushed her into the purpose that he wanted her to fulfill and now that she had done it, she doubted that there was anything to salvage between them. As betrayed as he felt, she had the same sear in her heart. She should have expected him to go back to the bland teacher but she let her guard down and was struck by the arrow of surprise, right in the heart.

Before the Mayor could cross the kitchen threshold, the doorbell rang and brought her back to the foyer. She opened the door to find streaks of red that she had been avoiding, streaks of red that kept her from going to Granny's for weeks. The werewolf held up a white paper bag, proposing a trade. "Chicken walnut salad with fetta cheese and pomegranate vinegarette."

She knew the Mayor's weakness and withdrew the bag when she reached for it. "Nu uh-You have some explaining to do."

Regina knew exactly what she was talking about. She had dropped a bomb on the girl, a whole nother life that she had no recollection of until she saw the thick velvet that held her morphing into a beast of the night. But the former Queen was stubborn, shaking her head at the girl's assertion. "I don't have to explain anything."

Ruby scoffed, holding the bag in the air. "Regina, I may not like you right now but I have grown to know you and I'd say, telling by the time, you're about to go put your pre-made lasagna in the oven...But what you really want is a chicken walnut salad with fetta cheese and pomegranate vinegarette." Regina narrowed her eyes and Ruby leaned in, her voice coming as a light whisper. "Granny even put extra chicken strips in there."

Regina huffed, standing back so that the werewolf could walk into the house. "I don't like you either." Ruby crossed the threshold and walked right passed the Mayor, advancing towards the kitchen as if it were her own house. "Miss Lucas-"

"Regina you cursed me and my friends, stole my best friend's husband and disillusionized me into becoming your friend-I think you can call me Ruby." the young girl dropped the bag on the counter and Regina failed to respond, trailing behind her. "Where are the plates?"

"What do you think you're doing?" The astute Mayor questioned, watching as the short-shorts clad waitress wandered around her cupboards without a care.

"Ahh.." She found the dishware that she sought and pulled out two white plates before setting them on the counter. "We're going to have an honest conversation.." She set Regina's salad in front of her on the other side of the counter. "You don't get to bullshit me-No Evil Queen, none of that." She pulled out a small styrofoam container. "Where's Charlotte? I brought her a burger."

"She's upstairs playing."

"Speaking of that." The werewolf met the Queen's eyes, genuine regret replacing the determination that resided seconds ago. "I'm sorry about Charlotte. I forgot that Granny's recipe called for cinnamon and I was careless." Regina nodded, accepting her apology. "But of course, you would have heard that weeks ago if you weren't avoiding me...and David."

"I haven't been avoiding anybody. I haven't been well and the less I do, the better." It was true, her last pregnancy was smooth sailing but this go round it seemed like everything was a task. Her hand reach for the girl's forearm that rested on the counter, an unintentional attempt a at connection. "I wasn't avoiding you." She didn't want to talk about David, nor did she want to talk about the woman that she despised for reasons decades of age.

Ruby only offered a small smile in response to her friend the Mayor, who befriended her all these years with the knowledge that in another life they had hated one another, they were enemies. However, twenty-eight years later in a new realm, in a new life, things were different. "I'm guessing that you didn't want me to find out the way that I had." The Mayor's response was the opening of her water bottle that sat on the counter beside her, a tell of her stress. "But why Regina? Why lift the curse off of me now?"

"I couldn't let you think that David was the only bad guy. I knew that you two were once good friends. It-it wouldn't be fair to you." Her salad remained untouched but the bottle of water is near half empty.

Looking away from Regina, the werewolf changed the subject. "You know all of my 'senses' are back. It's intoxicating almost, experiencing everything on a heightened level-I'm still adjusting though." Regina sat in silence hearing out her friend; guilt overcoming her. Ruby continues, "The worst part of 'waking up' are the memories." Her eyes met those of the sorceress that brought them all there, to this strange new land. "Oddly I'm thankful for your curse. There were things-people-I wanted to forget."

"I didn't know." Her tone is circumstantial, fit to be taken any way the wind blows because truly, she didn't know what to say. Perhaps it was because the person she was supposed to say it to didn't know how to feel. Happy to remember or grateful to forget?

"Ruby I'm sorry. You have every right to be mad at me. I'm mad at me." Had it been anyone else, she would have challenged herself to keep her eyes dry but this girl needed to know, she needed to see that the former Queen was human, that she was genuine. "Look at me...In this big house, my family torn in two..." She looked down momentarily, willing away the sadness that pounded in her chest, bringing her tears to the brim of her eyes. "I just want you to know that our friendship was never in my grand scheme of things." She met her eyes once more, hopeful that the werewolf had enough faith in her. "Please believe that."

"So you weren't using me to get back at Snow?"

"No." She shook her head before taking another sip of the water that calmed her. It was more of a panacea of sorts than something just to quench her thirst, making it easier to get through the conversation honestly without having to reach for her defenses any time it got rough. "You were my husband's friend here...You were my friend."

"Were you using David, your husband?" The Mayor's mouth was left open, a mind devoid of thoughts and a heart brimming with emotions. Rarely was she struck speechless but the question was not one that she had expected nor was it one she was ready to answer

Seeing the former Queen's struggle, the wolf didn't have to hear the woman speak to get the answer she sought. "You don't have to say anything to me. That's between you and David...And Mary Margaret." The Mayor visibly stiffened at the mention and Ruby took the opportunity to get her final thought out of the way.

"Speaking of such...I think I should let you know that when this is all over and the curse is broken, Snow she-"

"I get it." She nodded, looking away at the counter. "She's your friend."

Getting up to leave, she crumbled the paper bag in her hand. "By the way, if you don't see me at Granny's, I'm at the Sheriff's Station."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I'm trying something new." Ruby smiled, seemingly happy to share the news with a woman that she once considered her friend but now wasn't sure what could be said about their relationship. "You should eat...Kiss Charlotte for me." She touched her shoulder in an effort of comfort that only served to remind the Mayor of another relationship she had spoiled.

The Mayor offered a tight smile that she couldn't keep up when the werewolf turned her back. After losing so much, she didn't really have much of an appetite.

X

It was a new day. A new day to live, a new day to breathe, a new day to admonish the sunshine and dance in the rain. The sunset seemed to mean so much more to everybody, except her. A new day meant seeing his face again, waking up alone to a bed lacking a welcoming warmth, a child wondering why her parents are no longer in the same bed and a sun that seemed to mock her with it's rays. It seemed to shine on everything but her.

She scoffed at her thoughts, knowing that hostility towards the sun might be a bit far but nevertheless, it was how she felt. But alas, she persevered with the same schedule each day, waking up too early, getting ready, wandering around barefoot with a cup of decaf coffee she wished to magically make caffeinated, getting Charlotte ready, making breakfast, sending her daughter off with David.

However, that particular day, the schedule was broken. That night she didn't sleep and for the first time in along time, she overslept. Now her barefoot decaf moment was merged with getting Charlotte ready before rushing to make breakfast. The doorbell rang and she rolled her eyes, going to the door with a mug in one hand and a black bow in the other as Charlotte sat down at the table sleepily, wishing to be beneath her butterfly sheets.

When she opened the door, he gave her the usual tight-lipped smile that he'd been giving her since she threatened to take their children away, take his job away, leaving him with nothing but a hotel key and charm that was beginning to wear out. Ever since that day at the hospital, their relationship seemed to be put on pause, filled with tight-lipped smiles and cold stares.

It was beginning to annoy her.

"You're early." She deadpanned, looking at him as if he had caused her the biggest inconvenience.

"I thought I'd take Charlie to get something to eat." He responded, his standoffish attitude matching hers.

"So I could have stayed off of my swollen feet and not rushed to make breakfast? I didn't have to waste my time and endure the ache-is that what you're telling me? That I could have avoided all of that if you had called me?"

He was unresponsive, too absorbed with taking in her appearance. He tolerated the attitude, accepting that he'd pushed her too far. Perhaps it took him longer to realize it than most, but he finally grasped it. When she became what he was accusing her of, he finally realized it.

He thought better of commenting on how she had grown, how her stomach had finally popped and she was showing beyond camouflage. A smile managed to tug at his lips with the memories of her bump pressing into his back as she slept, using him as a pillow. But things were different now, they weren't that close anymore and the only consolation was a fuzzy picture of their son and the cold look in her eyes.

He opted for the easiest way out with his choice and he didn't feel any better for it. That's why he hadn't reached out to Mary Margaret, he didn't want to break her heart because any lies that he wanted to tell her would spill into the truth and she'd find that he loved the woman he stood before, not her.

When she threatened him, when he saw the darkness rise in her eyes it was not gratifying. To most it would have been, to be proved right, to know that she hadn't changed. The only difference was that he knew her and it wasn't that she hadn't changed, it's just that no one noticed and they pushed her until she regressed. Well really, it was him that didn't notice.

He pushed her.

"Can I come in?" She rolled her eyes and left the door, giving him no sort of inclination but he assumed that he was welcome. She padded across the foyer to where Charlotte sat, inhaling deeply into her mug as she took a hearty sip. "I hope that's decaf." He chimed.

"I hope you be quiet." She sniped, having none of his input. He had lost his privilege with her the moment his warped perception of her morphed from witch to abuser.

"Regina I was just trying to make small talk."

Her eyes flickered up in annoyance, maintaining a monotonous tone as she clutched her mug. "Well I don't want to talk to you. Who knows how else you'll manipulate my words and use it against me."

He couldn't tell if she was still that angry or it was a hormonal day because she wasn't this bad yesterday. But of course, she didn't say anything to him yesterday, only kissing Charlotte goodbye and handing him her rose colored knapsack.

"Regina look, I'm sorr-"

"Charlotte dear, are you done?" She cut him off immediately, reveling in her bit of success when his mouth clamped shut.

Charlotte lifted her head that rested on her tiny balled fist, twisting her fork in the last bit of egg on her plate. "Sleepy mommy." She mumbled lazily before putting her head down on the table. Her hair was parted to the side with the wave of her hair line braided in a nice goddess braid, presumably to be ended by the bow Regina had in her free hand.

"Why's that Charlie horse?" David questioned, stepping into the dining room.

Her usual excitement was replaced with a dragging voice and closed eyes.

"Couldn't sleep."

"Why?" He probed.

"Why aren't you in bed with mommy when I wake up?" She asked, seeming to challenge his question. She was only 3, nearing four, and was already outsmarting him.

"Come." Regina sat down on the other side of the table. "Let mommy put the bow in your hair."

David sighed, grateful for the distraction. The doorbell rang for the second time that morning and before Regina could make a move to get up, the Sheriff was already advancing towards the door as if he still lived there; as if they still coexisted.

"Emma?" David questioned, bringing his voice down a couple octaves upon seeing his daughter.

"David!" She hit his shoulder and he winced, stumbling back as she called out his name. "God, would it kill you to pick up your phone every once in a while?!" Her eyes told the story of her panic as she stood in front of him, fuming.

"What's the matter?" He questioned, rubbing the sore spot on his arm, giving her a sideways look.

"David, who's at the door?" He heard her coming in the distance, having slid into her heels so that they announced her presence far before she did. Her hand pushed out in front of him, breaking the block that he had created in the doorway.

"Ms. Swan." She greeted, her voice thick with content as she eyed the woman on her porch.

Emma reached behind her and pulled out a pair of silver handcuffs, an action that David immediately responded to. He stood in front of Regina, curving his arm behind him to move her back into the house. It was instinctual, his actions, actions that confused both women. "Emma, what do you need handcuffs for?"

"I need to take her in.." David's hands propped on his hips and she rolled her eyes, slapping a free hand at her side. "I called you!"

"What the hell is going on?" David stepped back so that the two of them stood in the doorway and Regina crossed her arms over her chest, occasionally looking back behind her to make sure that Charlotte didn't stray in their direction.

"Mary Margaret's missing." The shock registered in David's features, frozen by the revelation. Emma's eyes flickered over to the Mayor accusingly and Regina recoiled at the suggestion.

"I don't see how Ms. Blanchard's unfortunate situation has anything to do with me."

"It has everything to do with you, because you're the reason she's gone!"

Silence fell between them as the accusation settled from ear to ear and mind to mind. The Mayor's tell began to show as her fingers moved to play with the pendant that played around her neck. Emma neared her with the silver cuffs and David threw his hand out, stopping the process. "No cuffs..." He eyed Emma and gestured for her to follow as he lead Regina down the path, a hand pressing on the small of her back.

"Regina, whatever you did you need to tell me right now." He mumbled, knowing that she was keen to hearing him.

"Contrary to popular belief in this town, the saying is innocent until proven guilty not the other way around...I didn't do anything to your little teacher." She scowled, taking offense to his assumptions that she was once again in the wrong.

"I had to ask."

"Actually, you didn't." She turned away from him, fluttering her fingers in his directions. "Take Charlotte to daycare...I'll cooperate but I didn't do anything." He nodded and reluctantly turned to where Emma stood. He took the slivers circles in her hands and stuffed them in his pocket as he went to retrieve Charlotte. "No cuffs."


	10. Guilded

After dropping off Charlotte at daycare, bargaining with a sleepy little girl to ensure her attendance, the Sheriff high-tailed it to the office. Despite his mulled anger towards the woman that bared his last name, his worry remained the same. He was worried about both of them, frustrated with the disappearance of his lost love and hopeful that the cause of it didn't fall with Regina.

After weeks of finding fault with her and paying the price, the Sheriff of knee-jerk reactions was finally looking at things as a whole rather than the blurry puzzle pieces that were leading to his downfall. The darkened stares and hostile conversations had humbled him into knowing that he was wrong about some things, this his actions weren't always justified. But it hadn't humbled him enough to admit it.

Truthfully, he was still weary of her because she refused to answer his questions, to settle his inquiries about the depths of their relationship. He had trouble forgiving her without knowing when their life together stopped being a chess game in which he was just a pawn, a means to an end. He would humble himself when she humbled herself enough to tell him the truth.

Seeing the twin cruiser parked in front of the Sheriff's office, he figured they'd gotten there no longer before him and would probably be in an interview room. Hopefully, Mary Margaret was simply taking time to herself rather than the grim latter of purposely being missing, kidnapped by a crooked foe. Peering into the rooms that he passed, each one was dark with no light but that which was offered when cracking the doors open. Entering the main room however, he found a different story.

"Emma, what the hell?" He couldn't help the words the spilled from his mouth when he saw the dark haired Mayor standing behind bars, her arms crossed over her chest as she eyed them both with a stare that could burn holes through their heads.

The fellow Sheriff shrugged, never looking up from the paperwork she held in her hands. "I was pregnant and in jail, she'll be fine."

"Where are the keys?" He moved to enter the glass office that he was given, presumably because of his seniority. Emma quickly stood in front of the door, dangling his key from her finger. "Emma..."

"What if she kidnapped Mary Margaret? What if she..."

He shook his head, not even wanting that thought in his mind. "Regina didn't-We don't know anything and we shouldn't be jumping to any conclusions."

"We're not jumping, we're walking." She retorted, eliciting an eye roll from the man she still had trouble knowing as her father. "Granny said that the last time she saw Mary Margaret was around 5, after that no one's seen her. I have an eye witness that' puts Regina in the same area around the same time. If Henry's book isn't a complete load of crap then we both know that Regina's had it out for her for decades. And on top of all that, you were playing ping-ping ball between the both of them because you couldn't make up your damn mind...Now one of them is missing." She lifted her hand, counting off her reasons. "Opportunity, motive, intent."

"I come baring food!" Ruby announced, walking into the tense Sheriff's office, immediately taking note of the black suit and heels that stood in the cell. "What's going on?"

Emma looked away, not wanting to tell the curious werewolf. "Hey, if I'm gonna be a deputy than you need to fill me in-I'm not just your food girl." She dropped the bag of food on the desk, and stuck her hand to her hip, awaiting an answer.

"Miss Swan seems to believe that I've done away with Mary Margaret." Ruby met her eyes, darkened beyond compare. "But I can assure you, I can assure all of you that I've done no such thing."

"Save it Madam Mayor." Emma scowled, casting a grimace in her direction.

"Emma-" his eyes fanned between his daughter and his wife. "She's the Mayor-"

"I've already spoken to a senior council member-Mrs. Truman, she's taking care of it."

"You put that cow in charge of my town?" The trio whipped their head around to face the fuming Mayor.

"Technically, in your condition-"

"Emma." He stopped her, knowing that the conversation was bound to get ugly.

"We could just avoid this if you told us where Mary Margaret is." She neared the cell, meeting the Mayor eye for eye and step for step as Regina approached the bars that separated them.

"Perhaps I didn't make myself clear the first time," she was seething, "...last night, I was home with Charlotte-"

"Can she vouch for that?"

"Are you kidd-" Regina's eyes widened as her hands flailed by her sides in utter disbelief. "Are you kidding me?! She's three years old-are you daft or just plain incompetent?!"

Before Emma could retort, Ruby made an all call for breakfast. "Guys, let's just cool down...We can't find Mary Margaret if we don't concentrate and both of you guys are barely coherent without eating so..." She set a white contained down on the desk. "Apple pancakes for you." David sighed, taking the plate form the desk as Ruby pulled out another container. "Eggs and bacon for Ruby..." Emma rolled her eyes at the wolf speaking in third person. "...and oatmeal for you."

Emma set her keys down on the desk and took a seat next to Ruby, popping the top off of her breakfast so that the smell wafted into the air. She didn't know why, but she was a fan of oatmeal-especially when it had little raisins in it, nestled between the sugar pockets.

David turned around, pulling up a chair to enjoy the pancakes that Regina had turned him onto. However, the minute he did, he caught a glimpse of the paling Mayor, turning away from the bars as she gripped them for support. She looked up, hoping that it would pass but the nausea quelled in her stomach and their eyes met. He may not have liked her but he knew her, and the look on her face had him rising from his seat.

He swiped the keys from the desk and Emma looked up with big eyes, still chewing. "Hey!" Nearly tripping over himself, he rushed to unlock the cell that bound her. He swung back the metal bars and she covered her mouth, feeling a waft come passed her nose. "What are you doing, David-we talked about this!" As gracefully as she could, the Mayor bolted to the nearest restroom and David was right behind her, only stopping to trash the plate that Emma had just dug into. "Really?!"

He steered her in the direction of the Sheriff's restroom rather than the one for inmates, eliciting an eye roll from Emma as she folded her arms in disappointment. The muffled heaves coming from the Mayor had Ruby pulling at Emma to stand, knowing that Regina probably wouldn't want to look at them afterwards. "What?" Emma stood and Ruby pulled her towards the door, grimacing at the tortuous sound that hid behind the run of the faucet. "Let's go get you something else."

David threw a grateful look over his shoulder, thanking Ruby silently as she dragged his daughter out of the Sheriff's office. Running water was all that could be heard save for the sounds emitting relentlessly that would have any man turning the other way. David fought it just as he had before and ran towards the sound, towards the wife that he had denied to be his wife. Perhaps that is what his mind thought in the moment but his actions seemed to say otherwise.

Her torso curved into the sink without any cognition from herself, leaving the heaving Mayor holding the ceramic bowl until her knuckles paled a ghastly white. "Regina," came his breathless response at the sight of her. Her head inclined in the opposite direction being as she couldn't look at him, she wouldn't look at him, hoping that the queasy churn in her stomach would dissipate soon.

He needn't be there; his job began and ended with unlocking the cell, after that she didn't need him. But before she could protest against his presence or do anything to stop his actions, he was already beside her with a hand rubbing soothing circles on her back and another tucking a curtain of hair behind her ear.

Another wave of nausea hit her and the smell still lingered in her nostrils. "It's okay, it'll pass." Having had nothing but her decaf coffee, there was not much for her to expel, making the experience all the more painful. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes from the pressure in her chest, a flame seeming to ignite in her heart. A fleeting thought had her wondering of it's assimilation to having her heart ripped out of her chest.

A few moments later, it stopped, leaving her with a light sweat that she tried to wave off and weak knees that threatened to fail her. Feeling her body beginning to sag beneath his touch, his hands fell to her waist as he moved from beside her to behind her. Her head leaned into his shoulder as she offered only a whisper for her thoughts, still feeling a tightness in her throat. "Thank you."

It was the mirror that they stood in that caught her, that caught them. She could not offer him anything but the words she spoke because any gesture seemed too painful to express. There they were, a reflection of themselves, a reflection that told a story that wasn't true. He was there, right behind her, right there to catch her and she was grateful to lean into him, to be supported by him.

But that wasn't the case.

He wasn't there, he had walked away from her and she had fallen too many times without him there to catch her. She was only grateful for the will to get back up because she no longer trusted him enough to lean on him, to be supported by him. It was a reflection that lied, that told a story that wasn't true but it was tempting to accept, if only for a moment, as the truth.

"You wouldn't happen to..." The rasp of her voice did something to him. It was torturous almost, to hear such a weakness emit from her, to have evidence of her lack for strength. Before she could finish, his arm wrapped around the front of her body to keep her steady as the other reached for a bottle of mouthwash in the cabinet beside them.

She recoiled at the smell of it, still falling prey to the ghost of nausea that laid in the pit of her stomach. Despite such difficulties, she soldiered through the task quickly and handed back the bottle before it could debilitate her anymore. "Do you want some air or-" She shook her head and he nodded, allowing her to gather herself accordingly. He loosened his grip on her body and she faltered slightly, immediately missing the contact that he provided.

She held onto the sink for support when he left her side, when he told the truth of their reflection and left her alone. She nearly cursed him for making her fall right back into his embrace, for making it so easy. She wished that she was stronger, that moments like this were non-existent but she knew that if they truly were, she wouldn't survive that either. Even if they hated each other, the hairs on their necks still stood when they touched, the world still stopped when they embraced and there was still a spark when they looked in each other's eyes, even if there was a cold stare hiding it.

With a deep breath, she stepped aside, holding to the wall and the knob of the door as she opened it. Slow methodic steps kept her upright when her knees wanted to give out. She had barely slept the night before and it seemed that any energy she had gained from such a short slumber had been taken from her the moment she dispelled the small contents of her stomach. Her eyes fell closed and she stopped, bracing against the wall outside of the restroom.

"Hey, hey what are you doing?" His voice was heard as he pushed open the monogrammed glass doors of the Sheriff's office. "I took out the garbage so you wouldn't smell it-You should have waited for me, I was coming right back." His voice wasn't that of scolding, it was much gentler with only worry and concern as his intent.

She never moved, only turning her head to look at him with glistening eyes. He had left her so many times that she didn't have faith that he would come back to her, no matter the situation. He had stripped her of the hope to know that even with a short absence, he would be back to support her, to hold her up. She no longer knew that he would love her in spite of himself, love her in spite of what she's done. Her glistening eyes were more of a statement then any words could say or make.

You took something from me.

He couldn't apologize for what he had done, nor could he apologize for what he had said. Words meant nothing now, his realization that it was him that was in the wrong did nothing to console her. He offered her his hand and she looked at his wearily, meeting him stare for stare, assurance for doubt. "I used some of that stuff Ruby has in her desk so-I um, I don't...You won't smell it on me." That was good to know but it wasn't what she needed to hear, she didn't want to hear anything. She had wanted her husband back for so long and now that she had him, if only for a moment, it was done mockingly so because she wasn't sure it would last. Nothing good ever did.

She made the effort to lift herself off of the wall and go in the opposite direction of him, to do it by herself. She was tired and she was weak but she could make it, and she was making it until she reached Ruby's desk and the faint smell wafted near her like it had found and targeted her. She turned her head and paused, clasping a hand over her mouth. She hadn't been sick in weeks but all it took was a hint of those gooey oats to send her over the edge.

He was right behind her, holding to her waist to make sure she stood upright. It frustrated her, that she needed him now. He wasn't there before, he wasn't there when she wanted to need him, when she needed to need him. Now that he stood for her, showed that he cared for her, it was like an insult to her emotions. One minute he's there, the next minute he's gone, the next he's there, seconds later-gone.

She was faltering and didn't even know it until she stumbled back into him. His hold on her was so intimate, so loving, it confused the hell out of her. Which one was the show? The hate he showed or the love he was showing?

"Just breathe," he coached softly into her ear as her head turned to avoid looking in the direction from which her sickness stemmed. He laced his fingers with hers and brought them beneath her chest so his arm wrapped around her securely. "I've got you, you're not going to fall, you're not going to get sick just..just ground yourself in the moment."

Truly, she couldn't do what he was asking. He was asking her to become comfortable with her body being pressed against his, their heads falling next to each other. He was asking her to become comfortable with a gentle voice whispering in her ear, keeping her present. He was asking her to fall comfortable with feeling safe, feeling his arms wrapped around her so that no one, no one could ever bring harm to her.

Across town, Emma and Ruby sat at the counter in Granny's waiting for Emma's breakfast, hunger stirring in their stomachs. Ruby occasionally eyed her grandmother, receiving disapproving looks from Granny as she seemed to serve everyone but her.

"What's going on with you and Granny?"

Ruby rolled her eyes, propping her head on her hand. "I told you! She's trying to-"

"Trying to what?" Granny questioned, setting a paper bag in front of the blonde Sheriff. "No smack talk at my counter girl.." Ruby mouth opened in disbelief and Granny raised her hand, having no one of it. "Go on...Deputy Lucas." Even Emma giggled at how funny it seemed, earning a glare from the werewolf.

"Let's go Emma." Ruby moved from the counter roughly, a chuckling Sheriff behind her. "It's not funny!" She chastised, walking out of the diner.

"You're right, you're right," she placed her hand on Ruby's shoulder, "...but it kind of is."

Ruby shrugged her off and opened the passenger door of the cruiser. "Can we change the subject please?"

"Sure." Emma responded, getting into the driver's side before putting her breakfast on the back seat. "Regina."

"When did Mary Margaret go missing? And how do you know she's missing?"

"Well you can't leave town and there's only so many places to go in Storybrooke...You see her car behind us?" Ruby nodded. "It's been there since 5 o'clock yesterday...which was around the last time she was seen."

"And you think Regina abducted her?"

"I know she had something to do with it."

"Well I was at Regina's house yesterday around 5 and no one was there but her and Charlotte."

"Did you see Charlotte?"

"No, but where else would she be? David didn't have her."

Emma shrugged and Ruby sighed. "Who else would have it out for a teacher who doesn't bother anybody?"

"Maybe her husband that's having trouble choosing between his two wives." Emma lifted a brow. "I love them both and when I get my hands on whoever has my best friend, if she was kidnapped, it's not going to be pretty-But I don't think that person is Regina."

"How can you say that?"

"Well she didn't seem to be on a murderous rampage yesterday...She just seemed, I don't know.." she met the blonde's eyes, "..sad."

"Ruby-"

"And as angry as I am with Regina for doing what she did to Snow, that will be dealt with when the curse is broken-In the meantime, I'll have a chat with David but to pin Mary Margaret's disappearance on Regina just doesn't feel right. Especially if she didn't do anything and we're following the wrong lead while Mary Margaret could be anywhere." Emma rolled her eyes, pulling away from her parking space. "Just speaking the truth Sheriff Swan..."

"Shut up Deputy Lucas." Emma retorted, still thinking about what was said.

"Have you investigated anywhere?"

"I was going to get a warrant to search Regina's place while she was at the station..."

"What about the old Toll Bridge?"

"What about the old Toll Bridge?"

"Maybe she's camping out there or someone who kidnapped her could have left clues because Snow only had enemies in our land. Maybe someone got woken up and they have something against Snow."

"Like who?"

"I don't know...King George?"

"Who the hell is King George?"

"Albert Spencer.."

Emma nodded, figuring that she'd get the full story later. "How about I drop you off at the Toll Bridge and I'll go back to the Station."

"You don't want to come?"

"Nah, I'd rather check on David and Regina."

Ruby looked over at Emma who gave her a bewildered look, shaking her head. "You don't think they'd..."

"No they wouldn't..." She looked to her deputy for confirmation. "They wouldn't right?"

X

They sat side by side on the springy bunk bed of the jail cell with neither of them having enough courage to speak. It seemed as though all their words beforehand had been hostile, full of pain, full of resentment and now sitting shoulder to shoulder and thigh to thigh there were no sweet nothings to whisper in each other's ear. A trembling hand balanced a styrofoam cup on her knee as she kept her eyes closed, fighting the nausea that wanted to overtake her and the familiarity of being with her husband. The husband that supported her, that wouldn't let her fall mere minutes before, the husband that was sensitive to her needs, the husband that she could no longer call her own.

The breath that left her was shaky.

How could she still care for someone who treated her as he did, who made her feel disposable? She had fallen in love with David, caring, sweet, protective David and woke him up to find the dark side that she never knew, that everyone has. He lashed out at the Evil Queen, adversary of his true love Snow White as Prince Charming. And it took her threats, her anger, her pain to reach it's max before he realized that she was human, that the woman he lashed out at wasn't the woman who cursed him but the woman who woke him up because she loved him too much to deceive him any longer.

Gently touching her arm, he took the cup from her grasp and their fingers brushed against each other's, eliciting the spark they knew they had but tried at best to ignore it. Her eyes finally opened to look at him, to see the man that stood by her side. He noticed the wear of her disposition, how tired she was despite the glow about her. She hadn't been sleeping, he could tell but she was still beautiful. The irony passed his mind; he wanted her now, he missed her but he had said too much.

It was too late.

He didn't want to frighten her, scare her back behind the facade she so tactfully guarded. But he couldn't let the moment pass without saying something, he had to let her know what was on his mind, what was invading his thoughts. Fishing out the small photo from his wallet, "I think he's got my build, don't you think? Strong and sturdy...dashingly handsome too," he turned to face her as he continued. "But I think he'll have his mom's button nose," a tear slipped down the curve of her nose, "her beautiful smile," down her lips, "and maybe..just maybe, when he laughs he'll wrinkle his nose too."

His desire to be forgiven reflected her denial to do so, blue to brown, tear for tear. The water had done no good to her throat, leaving her hoarse not to mention the emotion she tried to swallow. "David this isn't the time," she was still hurting, "..don't make this any harder."

"I'm not, Regina." Deep down, he was aware of the wounds that were yet to heal but he couldn't help himself. He took her hand once more, reveling in the feel of her palm against his, line against line and mark against mark. "He is every bit of you, that he is of me." He pressed a kiss to the hand that he held and she let him, but her head turned away at the gesture. The tears that fell meant more than that moment. It was more than their fighting-He had helped a broken woman become whole again only to break her once more.

And now, his efforts to put her back together again failed to work.

It was like putting a band-aid on a dam; the water was bound to break through. She couldn't accept his consolation, his silent apologies, his comfort. It was too little too late, a moment that should have come sooner rather than later. With a light squeeze, she let his hand go, she let him go.

He was able to discern the moment and tell that he could say nothing more, only time could heal wounds, not words that were pass due. "You should rest."

"Only the guilty sleep in prison." Her response was met with the distasteful glare she gave to the pillow beside her. Regina Mills did not do jailhouse slumber.

With a sigh, he stood and placed the photo back in his wallet. "Take your blazer off." She gave him a look of inquiry and he bent at the knee, leaning over to help her as she arched her back in the process of discarding the soft material. She handed it to him and he folded it to avoid creases before placing it atop her pillow. "If nothing else, you need to rest," before she could protest, he was taking off her pumps, "..and if you lie down, maybe it'll settle your stomach." His hand passed over her bump nonchalantly, not even realizing what he had done until he saw her eyes widen by the smallest fraction.

She didn't say anything though, letting it pass this once, for it was a day of missed nostalgia. Upon realizing that he was watching her, she propped her arm on the bed and lifted her legs before settling down on her makeshift pillow. "I'm just going to close my eyes." She whispered tiredly, with no intention of sleeping.

He nodded and turn to leave the cell when her eyes finally did fall close. "Stay.." He was a small whisper but he heard it and complied with her request, crouching against the bars opposite the bed. It didn't take long for her to break her word and the heavy breathing to set in. The air condition began to blow full force and he cursed it's on again/off again nature. She shifted slightly and he rose to his feet, making light steps to his desk before returning with his leather jacket to drape over her small frame.

Emma couldn't have been clearer, stating that there should be no preferential treatment for anybody taken into custody. But she knew that it had all went to hell when she walked in on the David walking towards his desk, Regina's cell wide open as she slept under his jacket. "David what the hell, why-"

"Shhh!" He stood immediately. "Not here, in my office." Tugging her by the elbow, he ushered the blonde into the glass office before shutting the door behind him. "She's sleeping."

"So?!"

"So? So lower your voice." He peered out passed the glass to see her still in the same spot, seemingly undisturbed.

"She's a suspect David! I don't care who she is to you right now, but she's a suspect in a freaking kidnapping. Kidnapping Mary Margaret, for God's sake-Your REAL wife! What the hell has gotten into you?"

"You think I've forgotten that Mary Margaret is missing?"

"Well ya sure act like it, David. We don't know where Mary Margaret is, if she's hurt, if she's alive-"

"No Regina wouldn't kill her," his voice wavering the tiniest fraction with the sliver of doubt in his mind. "No Emma, she," he pointed to his sleeping pregnant wife, "...she wouldn't do that."

"Oh Really? Henry's book seems to say that she would..In a heartbeat."

"I thought you were better than this!"

"NO! I thought you could handle the situation, this mess! Now look what you've done: your pregnant wife is behind bars and your true love has disappeared." And that easily, she was no longer just talking about him and Regina.

David's hand slammed against the table. "That's enough!"

The noise awoke Regina with a start, surpassing the glass confines. The two blonde Sheriffs eyed each other furiously, breaths heavy and chests heaving. Breaking the silence was Emma's phone that rang in her pocket. Without taking her eyes off of David, she reached into her pocket and plucked out her phone, mashing a button before picking up. "Ruby, did you find anything?" She pulled the phone from her ear to avoid the screeching. "Rub-Ruby calm down.." The girl's wails subsided and David neared the phone as well to hear the commotion. "Ruby, did you find anything?"

Emma looked up upon the response, meeting his eyes as her mouth froze to an 'o'. "She wouldn't do it?!" Emma exclaimed, pointing to Regina's jail cell.

"What-what are you talking about? What did she find?" He watched as his daughter swallowed, struggling to answer as her eyes welled up.

"A heart."


	11. Hell

The air is sober when she leads the red beret clad werewolf back into the station. The hyperventilating has ceased and the tears have stopped, leaving her with a blank features, hiding the grimace behind her mask. She cannot break down. She will not breakdown. She must will herself to believe that Snow White is not dead, that the heart is not her heart, that her best friend is still alive. The tears threaten to begin again and all she can do is pause in front of the interview room where her friend stood, eyeing him icily.

Perhaps if he had waited to drag Mary Margaret into this mess until after the curse broke then maybe, just maybe, there wouldn't be a heart sitting on a cold slab in a lab waiting to be tested. Ruby had to pull herself together, for her sanity, she had to believe that the woman sitting behind the glass window wouldn't have killed her friend minutes after expressing her respect for their relationship. It just didn't make sense.

David acknowledge their presence with a solemn nod, understanding what had to be done next. Before his daughter could object to him being the one to do it he was already walking through the door. Emma watched through the one-way glass as the dark-haired Mayor sat back in her chair, seemingly done with the situation. As if she had checked out, as if she didn't care.

Her indifference towards the possible death of her mother, her best friend angered the blonde but she held her peace and watched as David took a seat across from the indifferent, infuriating Queen.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on or are you just going to keep staring at me?" Her tone is soft, lacking the usual brash that she had reserved for him in the passed couple of weeks but it retains the annoyance of being forced to be at the Sheriff's office.

His eyes fell away from hers and she dipped her head to meet him, to gauge a reaction from the depths of his expression but he gave her nothing, averting his eyes to everything but hers. "It's a one way glass Regina, you can't see what I'm doing behind it."

"I don't have to." Her head tilted to the side in mock thought, eyeing him closer than he realized. "I know you." She gleans more than he knows from his face, from his body language. "David, what's going on?"

He is unresponsive and the only retort he gives is involuntary: the filling of his eyes. He wanted to believe her, truly he did, but they found a heart and if the tests showed that it belonged to who they thought it did, then all signs pointed to Regina having gotten what she had wanted for decades.

Snow White's heart.

"You don't believe me, do you?" Her question is ignored, met with the turning of his head. "You think that I killed her?" She pondered what had changed between her falling asleep with him watching her and waking up with him avoiding her. It was him, after all, and his fight with Emma that had disrupted her short slumber; the slam of his and against a desk being the sound that jolted her awake.

"The evidence is piling up." The conflict is clear in his voice and he musters the nerve to look in her eyes, to meet her brown for blue. Despite everything that had transpired between them, the hate that bubbles beneath the love and the love that is shaded by the hate, her eyes are sincere. He can't deny that.

"What evidence?" What could have caused the shift in the atmosphere, the tears in his eyes?

He exhaled shakily, leaning into the table so that his hands could gather atop of them, inches from hers that laid flat against the wood. "We found a heart..." It's beginning to eat at him that he can't tell if she's hurt or not, that he can't tell if she's alive or dead. When she fell into the sleeping curse, he knew, he felt her slip from the grasps of his heart and now-he felt nothing. He would trust the lack of feeling as knowing that she was alright if he didn't know that the love he had for another might be clouding their love that had faded. "Regina if you need to tell me anything, tell me now before things get out of hand."

At his request, the slim fingers that were inches from him began to recede away from his presence, seemingly burned by his words. She met him eye for eye and tear for tear and she smiles. She smiles because the little sliver of trust she had placed in him was barely finished forming before he stomped on it.

"You know, for a second, I almost thought you believed in me." Not that he believed that she was telling the truth, but that he believed she wouldn't do something like this.

Not now.

"Regina that's not fair," he cleared his throat, "...What am I supposed to think when there's a heart sitting in a lab waiting to be tested!?"

"You're supposed to know MY heart." He is supposed to know that the woman he loved, the woman he laid beside, the woman who bore his children wouldn't be guilty and she had given him no impression of otherwise. "But I don't know why I expect that of you when it seems like you don't know me at all."

It was a heart, possibly the heart of Mary Margaret; her signature was hearts and she hated Mary Margaret. He knew all that he needed to. "It's all pointing to you."

"It's called a FRAME JOB!" Her voice had risen passed it's prime and cracked at her exclaim, sending the moment to it's close. A soft rap sounded on the door and he lifted his head towards the sound, not really wanting to move. He wanted to stay, he wanted to believe her but his mind wouldn't let him. Perhaps it was a frame job, but his emotions were too involved to entertain the thought.

He removed himself from the room, leaving her to weigh her feelings as he stepped outside. What caught him was the balding man with a briefcase standing beside Emma, watching the window. Ruby was understandably put off, knowing his history with Snow and out of good conscience, stepped away.

"You called him?" He directed his question towards Emma and she shrugged as if her actions were predictable.

"We have a murder investigation on our hands." Her notions are confirmed when Albert Spencer moves passed the man as if he was mere air to be walked through, opening the interview room as he and Emma stepped in, walking away from the emotionally involved Sheriff.

The tears in her eyes immediately dried up upon setting her sights on her old rival, just one of many. "Hello, Mayor Mills or Mayor Nolan-What do you go by now?" He sat down in the seat that David had vacated and put his briefcase on the table, popping it open to take out a tape recorder. He pushed it towards her and she leaned back, making her stance known. "Do you have anything to say before we get started."

She pushed herself off the back of the metal chair and pressed a manicured nail to the sidewards triangle, speaking when she heard the soft rustle of it's static. "Not. Guilty," she enunciated before pressing the button once more, ending the record.

He smirked at her actions, setting his hands in front of himself as he looked her over similar to a predator and it's prey. "Why don't you just do us all a favor and confess, " he smiled vindictively, "..save us the trouble?"

Perhaps he had forgotten that she was a predator as well. She leaned forward without a stitch of fear in her eyes as they sized out, announcing that she was in no mood to be intimidated or to be propagated like a piece of meat, punished for something that she had no choosing in. "Why don't you put away the tape recorder so we can have an honest conversation, George?"

He pursed his lips to keep from responding to her, seemingly pondering her request. With a tight-lipped expression, he nodded and set his briefcase and the tape recorder aside. "Very well then...Your majesty."

The pretenses were done with and the familiarity was back. There was no reason to hide now, it was all out in the open and the tension between the two nearly suffocated the blonde Sheriff that watched, intrigued in the corner with her arms folded over her chest.

The former monarchs eyed each other, a stare down being more than just pupil to pupil and ego to ego. There was something deeper there, something far more sinister than either of them knew. They had been pitted against each other, working as enemies with jealousy and power rooted at the thrones of their heart, his heart really.

"Why'd you do it?" His question leaves her with furrowed brows and lips curved into a smirk, feeding off of the immediate insecurity that hides behind his faux bravado as he sits before her, the King of penury, unable to maintain his own kingdom. "Oh, don't play dumb Regina, it doesn't suit you,." She snorts at his remark, barely impressed by his attempts to cut her off at the knees to make himself tall.

"Nor does your balding head suit you dear but alas, " she flashed a charming smile, "...to each his own."

Indicative of her attitude, he knew that he couldn't extract anything from her and the only way was to lay it on the table and have her claim it. "You killed James."

"I believe you're mistaken; the last time I checked, I wasn't a sweaty knight with anger issues-"

"You know what I am talking about!" His hands met the table in an abrasive front as the jugular in his neck bulged with his scarlet color change. "You bankrupted my kingdom and my son had to put his life on the line-his blood is on YOUR hands."

Her eyes were unmoving, trained on his as they tuned to hers. She could be nothing but calm, knowing that it would all be settled in the end. "Is that why you're doing this to me?" She was beginning to see it now, the deception, the trickery. "Did you set me up to avenge a kingdom you mismanaged and a whoring son you propagated for gold?" She shrugged. "Seems a bit extreme."

She was baiting him and he knew it, he wouldn't bite. His mouth opened to retort and he clamped it shut before easing back into his chair. Too much information gave her too much power and at his point, he needed her as weak as he could get her. His need to get her weak turned out to be his weakness, it was the light that shown in his eyes that gave him away, gave away his plans. She knew that look, the stare of vengeance, when you can taste it on the tip of your tongue and barely feel it pressed against the print of your fingers; the glean in your eyes as their despair passes your thoughts once more.

She knew it all to well.

"I didn't set you up." He was calm in his claim, making direct contact with her eyes. "You kidnapped Mary Margaret. You killed her and you carved her heart out-You did that." Before she could respond, he cut her off. "But contrary to what you may believe, I'm on your side...Had I been woken up earlier you wouldn't be in this sorry state."

"What does that mean?"

"Well you'd be just as barren as that Amalekite Snow White."

"What are you talking about? Snow has a child." She waved her hand at Emma carelessly, beginning to get irritated with the redundancy of the conversation.

"Oh c'mon Regina, surely you can figure it out." She quirked a brow and he leaned forward, a sly smile on his lips. "Magic." She stiffened at the mention, leaning back to maximize the space between them. "With that being said, if the potion were to fall in my hands again I wouldn't hesitate to use it." He stood with his briefcase in tow. "We're done here."

Both women were left confused but one more than the other. Emma offered him a nod, not really seeing any progress. He was supposed to offer her a plea bargain, perhaps help her get a confession but all he seemed to do was attempt to assert his power, maybe even vaguely threaten her. Henry's book failed to mention anything about her mother being barren, supposedly unable to carry children.

But of course, Henry's book didn't mention a lot of things.

The Sheriff, seemingly out of the loop, pushed herself off of the wall to watch as the Mayor leaned back on the chair, arms crossed over her stomach. The identity that she usually shields herself with has begun to thin and the worry is shining through.

Seeing this, she attempted to extract what she can while the woman's guard was seemingly faltering. "I don't know what your deal is with D.A. Spencer", her hand rose to prevent Regina from interrupting, "...and I don't want to know about it. I can tell that you don't trust him like the other lawyers around town." Regina rolled her eyes, she didn't trust anybody. It was obvious to her that he had something to do with things; why didn't anyone else see it? "Regina, just come clean will ya? Besides David and a 3 year old, theres no one else to vouch for you. And your records aren't that sparkly clean if Henry's book is anything to go by."

"Did I stutter earlier? Or maybe you need to get your ears checked, Ms. Swan. I did not-" She paused, seeing the wall in front of them vibrate, as if it had been struck by a blunt object. Emma began to step backwards, peeking her head out of the door before running towards whatever was causing the commotion.

"DON'T," They are broken screams. "...HURT," They are barely comprehensible. "MY FAMILY," They are the yells of a man whose heart has made a decision that he was not yet ready to make.

Outside, Emma attempted to aide Ruby in restraining the angered Prince but the grasp that he holds on the District Attorney is far too great. By the lapels of his jacket, the man is slammed against the wall as though he is meat, fit to be pounded. He sees red and for a few moments there is only silence, punctuated by the alternating breaths of those excited by the commotion. The silence allows for eyes to meet and exchanges to be made, threats to be declared. He looks into the eyes of the man that tried to take everything from him and he makes his threats clear. The monarch looks into the eyes of a man that he blames for his loss of everything and accepts his challenge.

In the silence, it becomes somber; it becomes real.

"David." It is her voice that plants his feet on the ground, that cools the steam in his ears. Her voice, stern yet gentle, worn yet strong enough to get through to him.

The grip he has on Albert's jacket loosened and the man snorted in response, unimpressed by his quick recession. "Weak to a woman that's not even your real wife?" His upward inflection was met with a grunt as he was slammed up against the wall and pained into silence.

"David, ignore him." She sends an involuntary calm his way but he can't help the question that burns in his mind.

"What did you do to her?"

Albert smirked in response, straining his neck passed being pinned up against the wall. "I poisoned her." He bared his teeth, smirking when the man paled. "And the sacrifice that was paid to lift her curse?" He leaned in closer, nose to nose with his faux son. "Your mother."

The minute the words were spat at him, David let go. Had he held on, he would've probably killed the man that stood in front him, perhaps even choked him until his blood ran cold. He had to walk away. He had to leave that hallway.

Watching the emotionally drained man go, she had the urge to follow him but of course, there were some things that she just couldn't do; walk passed Emma Ruby and Albert to go to a man that neither of them considered to be her husband was one of them. The disgruntled King stood to his feet and pulled his weight off of the wall, picking up his discarded briefcase before walking out of the door with a smirk painted on his face.

Ruby walked out to see about David and the first words that stumbled out of the Mayor's mouth weren't planned. "You are aware that he framed me, right?" Emma's eyes widened and her mouth flapped for an answer.

Meanwhile, within the four walls of the Sheriff's office former friends stood opposite each other without being able to speak. What could they say? If Snow was really dead, Ruby couldn't exactly say that she would be able to have David remain blameless in that. He was guilty in part of this, he had to be. Perhaps if had approached the situation with enough grace to wait until the curse had lifted to pursue her then Snow wouldn't have been a target.

However, for some reason she didn't think that Regina was the culprit. The evidence made sense but then again it didn't. It was a heart and yes Regina had a penchant for ripping out hearts but then where was the body and what could she possibly think this would solve?

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Did you know?" His eyes flipped up at her accusingly and she shook her head vigorously, denying whatever he thought.

"Snow never told me about any of this..." She dipped her head to see the confusion in his eyes, trying to piece together Albert's words. He didn't know the story and all he was left with were bits and pieces of a broken tale that included the cursing of his wife and the death of his mother. But in the end, Snow's curse was lifted and his mother stayed dead.

"You can ask Snow about it when we find her-if we find her." Her tone had suddenly changed, no longer comforting or sensitive to what he was going through.

"Are you trying to blame this on me?" He stood up straight and Ruby crossed her arms over her chest. "Are you serious Red?" He called her by her name, her original name and watched as her defenses fell.

"Maybe if you didn't have the constant need of being with someone then we wouldn't be here."

"We are NOT here because of me." His face was just calming from the red that had painted him mere moments ago before he was beginning to meet that shade once again. "You don't know what the hell has been going on!" His voice began to raise and Ruby backed up, ready to hear his side of the story.

She had been getting bits and pieces just like he had and she failed to see his point of view, that she knows. But now she's open to it.

"Do you really think that I don't feel guilty for what's happened? You think it doesn't eat me up? The fact that not only did I love my cursed life-I don't regret it!" He turned, a hand running down his face as Ruby felt the brunt of his anger. "If I could choose, I know who I'd want and that-that kills me." She was speechless, unable to form words that could sum up her conflicting feelings. "But when Snow wakes up, I have to go back to her." The conviction in his voice was evident, giving Ruby the floor when he let out a shaky breath.

"David, you don't have to go back to Snow." Her voice was small but sure. She couldn't be biased in her opinions or her advice, she had to give him the truth and let him decide what it meant. "You just have to stop hurting these women." With that, the waitress gone deputy turned to leave the hallway and left the man she once considered a great friend but now she couldn't recognize him. She couldn't recognize herself either, dressed up in a modern costume of garbs that she didn't recognize, that she didn't ask for.

She couldn't criticize him for wanting his cursed life back, for not wanting to wake up, because she wanted the same thing. If she could just forget, wipe her memory clean of a past stained with the blood of innocent people then she would. She would throw herself into a cursed life that she didn't ask for because it did more for her than the life that she was originally given.

"Regina, who framed you? D.A. Spencer?" On the other side, Emma's hand propped on her hip as if she was dealing with a lying child, ready to be punished.

It was a gesture that the Mayor immediately picked up on, stepping back when she realized that it didn't matter what she had to say or what she could prove, she was guilty. The blonde's mother had possibly been murdered and she was the scapegoat, she was the obvious choice. When she really wanted to run, she just pushed the opposite door open and walked to the cell that had been designated for her. Eventually those fools would have no choice but to figure out the truth and when they did it would all blow over.

It had to.

Not that she had that much faith in them, but she knew the workings of the judicial system and they couldn't prosecute her without a body. And honestly, she didn't think there was one. By the way King George was talking, not only was he out for her but he was out for Snow as well and knowing vengeance, his was not the kind that could simply be done away with by murder. He sought suffering and misery, similar to what he had experienced. Where had he gotten the heart? Perhaps the man that woke him from the curse in the first place.

Emma followed behind her, watching as she maintained the prideful strut that she always had, without fail. "Why'd you do it?"

Regina entered her cell and sat down on the cot, at first believing that she would ignore the blonde's question. After seconds of deliberation, she cocked her head to look at the woman that stood in the opening, keys in her hand. "Are you referring to my cursing thousands or the belief that I murdered your mother?"

"Really, Regina? There's a freaking heart!"

"And yet you haven't cried." She shrugged and the Sheriff's eyes darkened considerably, her mouth setting in a thin line.

"You don't know what I've done." Her tone was low, instantly changing from the screeching of mere moments before.

She had hit a nerve.

"If you really thought she was dead then you would be mourning her. Or does that have to do with the fact that so many people have left you, there are no tears left to cry?" She isn't mocking the woman, but she seems to be speaking from experience. Their eyes met and the blonde wanted to retort and tell her that she is nothing like her, that they share nothing but the air they currently breathe but she couldn't.

Because it wouldn't be true.

"You know, just as I do, that Mary Margaret is alive. The evidence says one thing but you know otherwise." She smirked, not minding that the woman was standing and she was sitting; the control was still in her hands. "Tell me, what did you find in my home that you won't tell the others? A butcher's knife? Machete?"

"Under Charlotte's bed."

Regina's mouth stops mid pause, leaving it open with no words to come forth; for the first time, Emma sees the Mayor speechless. She turned away when her eyes widened, knowing that the fear in her heart would reflect in her eyes and Emma would probably think that it was fear of being found out rather than actual terror for her children.

"He was in my house?" It came out as a whisper of disbelief, one that the Sheriff didn't expect. "And you-you thought I would put a machete under my child's bed, what the hell is wrong with you?!"

"It was a carving knife, Regina you know that."

"Stop!" She jumped from the cot, standing to her feet. "You will not pin this on me just to have closure because you're too messed up to cry about it!" The blonde was silenced as the Mayor entered her personal space, something that had a tendency to be violated that day. "I would NEVER put my children in such blatant danger-And if you think otherwise than you're just as naive and stupid as your mother, may she rest in peace." Her tone was dripping in sarcasm but the blonde probed anyway.

"I thought you said she wasn't dead-"

"Well around here, we believe what we're told rather than what we know and since you found a knife, I guess that means a body is sure to follow." She spat her words at her adversary before reaching in front of them and pulling the cell closed, causing Emma to jump back in surprise. She leaned against the bars, hands gripping them as she got as close to the Sheriff as she could. "And if any harm comes to Charlotte or Henry, David and Ruby will find a body," her head shook with a snarl, "..but it won't be Mary Margaret's."

Emma's mouth opened at the threat and Regina backed away from the bars, seeing Ruby and David enter the room. Hearing footsteps, Emma's head dropped as she turned around with a yearn to finish their conversation. Slow steps took her to where the other Sheriff and Deputy stood, both just as drained as she was.

"Emma, I hate to be the one to say it, but I don't think it all makes sense. First of all, who is the person that puts Regina near Granny's around the same time I was with her?"

Emma stuffed her hands in her pocket with a stare that seemed to go right through Ruby. "I wanna verify it before I put it into evidence."

"No." David shook his head, holding a hand up. "You aren't in charge here.." Emma paused at his aggression, looking him up and down as a hand snapped to his hip. "You need to tell us everything you know so that, as a team, we can find Mary Margaret."

"David you're too emotionally involved-"

"That's bullshit and you know it! We're all too emotionally involved but we're all working together and in order to do that we can't hide anything from each other so unless you want me to take your badge, I suggest you tell me what you know."

Emma blinked wordlessly at his candor, so used to the soft side of David that she forgot there was a brash Prince beneath him that occasionally slipped out. "Sidney Glass."

"Sidney? The guy that has the hots for.." Ruby trailed off, feeling David's eyes burn into the side of her head. "Jeez, you know it's true..."

"And I searched the house." David rolled his eyes. He knew that she was the type that liked to work alone but hiding information wasn't going to get them anywhere. "There was a carving knife under Charlotte's bed."

Both women looked to David, gauging his reaction. He paused, looking away as he crossed his arms over his chest, probably in an attempt to keep his cool. After a moment of silence, he looked up with wide eyes of realization that neither of them could decipher "She didn't do it."

"What? How do you know?"

After accusing her of intentionally trying to hurt their children, he would never make that mistake again. He knew whats she was capable of and putting a knife under Charlotte's bed wasn't a part of that. "It doesn't make sense! Someone had to have planted the evidence, I mean of all places...Charlotte's bedroom? It's almost as if someone is trying so hard to be Regina that they're over doing it...She would never put a knife under our child's bed."

The similarities in their defenses were uncanny and Emma shrugged, seemingly unconvinced. "I still don't trust her."

"Well we don't have enough to hold her-We need to let her go."

"But what if she did do it and this is just an elaborate rouse to send us on a wild goose chase?"

"That's slim to none and with such small chances, I'm not letting her stay here overnight for something she probably didn't do." In the face of new evidence, it seemed that his faith had been restored but perhaps it was too little too late.

"Fine, since you're in charge, you stay with her."

"What?"

"Take her home and stay with her. That way, you get what you want and I know that, regardless of her involvement, she's with law enforcement. After all, she's 'your wife'." She threw his words back at him and tossed the keys into his hands before walking away, most likely, to go cool off.

Ruby eyed David carefully, stepping in front of him before following behind Emma. "Remember what I said, " he looked up at her and she gave him a small smile with the hope that perhaps Mary Margaret was alive and Regina didn't play a part in a faux homicide.

The air was beginning to clear and maybe, just maybe there was hope. At this point they were fearful of hope though, an intangible feeling that has the ability to knock the wind out of you if it fails to deliver. He was hopeful that when he walked in her cell, she would accept his gestures, she would accept his presence. He took a seat on the cot beside her and she looked away, crossing her arms below her chest so that he could make no moves towards her hands.

"I know you didn't do this..."

"Wow.." She sniffled as a discreet hand wiped under her eye. "What a difference an hour makes."

"Regina..." He moved to touch her back but she scooted away at the contact, wanting nothing to do with him.

"Would it be too much to ask for someone to be on my side, for once?" She held herself, tight around the middle as she spoke with a shaking tone. In her mind, when no one believes you can do better, you're doomed to do worse and in her experience, when you do worse you become nothing more than your deeds. They follow you, they become you, they are you and that's what everyone sees. Her only wish was that someone, if only one person believed in her enough to know that she wouldn't do certain things than perhaps the dark side wouldn't seem so welcoming.

"Can you give me the benefit of the doubt? Regina, there was a heart."

"Can you EVER give me the benefit of the doubt?"

"I have, believe me, I have."

"Believe you? Why should I believe you when all you've done is look at my past and point fingers at me because it made SENSE." She turned away from him, giving her his back to talk to. She hated that even when he had turned his back on her, she still wanted to comfort him. Even after he accused her of murder, when she saw the hurt shining in his eyes, she wanted nothing more than to hold him close. They were tied to each other, it was undeniable, but at times it seemed like she was tied tighter than he was.

"Regina, that's not true-"

"Is it now?"

"Yes, a carving knife, maybe, but in Charlotte's room, you wouldn't do that."

She scoffed, still feeling the stings of his early accusations. "Oh, so now you know me?"

"Regina, don't do this.."

She sighed, leaning back so that her back hit the wall. She could barely sit up, too done with the situation to even care about how he perceived her body language at that point. "I am so tired of you telling me what to do.." It was a low rasp that took him by surprise because it sounded like the woman he knew, the woman that he had hurt. "You left me.." She is guttural with her words, shaking from the unshed tears building in her throat. "And yet you have the audacity to act as though you have the right to tell me what to do. 'Regina, you can't do this', 'Regina, you don't get to do this', 'Regina, don't do this-"

"Regina-"

"Shut. Up." He is silence by her tone, cutting him at every turn. "I am tired of you coming to me just to leave me. I am tired of you holding me just to drop me, I AM TIRED." She shook her head, letting the sole tear that escaped run down her face. "I don't care that you believe me now, it makes no difference. The fact is, when things got rocky the first thing you did was ask me for a confession."

What could he say? The more he wanted her, the more he pushed her away. It felt as though she had gone so far, he wasn't sure he could reach her anymore. "Something tells me that you won't care for an apology."

"Well look at that." She pans with a sarcastic monotony, no longer looking at him. "...first time you've been right all day.

He stood, understanding that she probably wanted him to leave but that was going to be pretty hard considering their current situation. "We're letting you go on the condition that an officer stays with you at all times."

Her eyes finally batted up at him and she shook her head in defiance. "No."

"Regina, you'd rather stay in a cell all night than let me come home with you?"

"Do you think this is some kind of game?" She leaned forward, barely able to contain her anger. "I don't want to see you right now."

"Well then close your damn eyes!" He raised his voice and she recoiled at the volume. "But I'm not letting you sit here alone all night because if we're right and someone is framing you then you need to be watched regardless and I can't stay here because someone needs to watch Charlotte. You hate Emma so I doubt you want her around Charlotte or watching you and we both remember what happened the last time Ruby watched Charlotte." She rolled her eyes and he sighed, matching her fury for fury. "You're angry? Fine, be angry but I'm not going to let you put your safety at risk just because I pissed you off-"

"Fine."

"Fine?"

"Fine." She pushed herself off of the cot and stood, stepping towards him so that they were toe to toe and rage to rage. "But stay out of my way." And with that vaguely venomous threat, she pushed passed him and he swallowed, following behind her.

Whilst the air is still sober and the coming days are destined to be quite interesting.


	12. Hidden

It had been a long day; he went from thinking she was innocent, to feeling like she was guilty to knowing she was innocent and feeling as though he was the one that was guilty. His mind soared with the events of the day, still reeling from the missing pieces that contributed to his mother's death. He was yet to succumb to the anger for lack of evidence but little did he know, when he did find out the story, it would change things dramatically. He thought about the vague threats made by Albert, threats that he had too much confidence to pull through. Someone was behind him, standing with him.

He seemed too strong to be alone.

But of course, a lot of people he knew felt alone but were too strong to show it. It's a strength that comes from hidden weaknesses and broken promises, a lethal combination. His confliction externalized itself and now is affecting those around him, his battle with the Prince and the Sheriff, the man and the persona. How could he take Ruby's advice without creating a bigger mess? It seemed like every step he took had a consequence greater than himself and if that was so, what was he to do? It was like digging to get out of a hole; it just got deeper and deeper. Pretty soon, he wouldn't be able to see the light of day.

His stagnant decisions were far overdue and the ripple effect was becoming clear. He barely saw Henry anymore, Charlotte wondered aloud why her parent's didn't live under the same roof, the relationship he had barely built with Emma was already deteriorating and he had no idea if Ruby and him were even on good terms while Mary Margaret was nowhere to be found. That only left Regina, someone he was unable to fit into words.

She stood tall on the sidewalk in front of his truck, tapping the toe of her heels against the whitewashed pavement as he walked down the path. With intentions beyond her control, he waited for her on the passenger's side with the door open. It amazed her really, how the smallest of actions could provoke the largest of conflictions.

The ripple effect at it's finest.

She pulled her bottom lip into her mouth without even realizing that it was an obvious tell, revealing more about how she felt than she wished to share. He didn't need to know how uneasy he made her, how his extended hand still fluttered her stomach in a way that she didn't want to feel towards him. Who would want to expose how they felt after being repeatedly disregarded? She had her hidden weaknesses and he had broken promises; a lethal combination.

In an effort to avoid taking his hand, she had to approach his truck by herself, holding on to anything in view to keep from falling. However, it was futile when his hand slid under the hand she held on the window, palm to palm as he became a support for her. With one leg bounded on the step stool and the other on the pavement, she let out a shaky breath as nostalgia fell like a ton of bricks. Had his other hand not been on her back, she might not have been able to take it, unable to bare the teasing memories that it offered.

"Close your eyes." Big hands covered her eyes as he led her out of the door, weary of his surprise.

"You know dear, having me close my eyes while you cover my eyes is a bit redundant." Her tone was full of snark and sarcasm as he lead her down the steps, one by one, so that she didn't take a spill.

"Well you're a bit impatient so you leave me no choice but to take extra precaution." She chuckled in response, only pausing when the grass touched her heels and curiosity struck again.

"David..."

"Open your eyes!" He whispered, excitement laced in each of his words.

"David..."

"What do you think?"

"Dear, you have to move your hands so that I can see." With boisterous laughs he dropped his hands so that they wrapped around her waist, pulling her to him until there was no space left between them.

"So..." He kissed her neck gently, gauging her reaction. "What do you think?"

She lifted a brow, trying to seem surprised but was failing miserably. "Of your truck? I'm not that fond of it but it's a reliable vehicle." She turned around to offer him a believable smile and his fell, disappointed that she didn't see what he was talking about.

He left her side and jogged over to his truck, flailing his arms as if he were Vanna White, showing her a prize. "A step stool!"

"A what?"

He rolled his eyes and put his foot on the small step. "You're always saying how it's too hard to get into my truck because you're just so tiny-"

"I didn't-"

"And small.." He teased, nearing her once more. His arm reached out and pulled her by the waist, "...and mine."

"Oh?"

"Oh." He nodded in confirmation and pecked her lips.

"So I'm tiny and small and yours and I can get into your truck with minimal assistance?"

"That's the idea..."

"Well then.." Her arms wrapped around his neck as he pulled her closer. "I love it."

"Regina?" He called her name and she snapped back to the reality that she was forced to live rather than the one she often traveled to. A teasing memory, it was. She swallowed thickly as he closed the door behind her, bringing herself back to the present lacking the evidence of the love that she wanted, that she wished remained between them.

Her eyes fell closed as he pulled away, warding off whatever was building within her. She had to shut it down, gut it by the root; crying over a mess that she put herself in would do nothing but puff up her eyes and wear out her breathing. She clutched at her chest, willing the tears to halt, to stop in their tracks. He looked over at her occasionally, eyes shut tight and brows knit in concentration. It pained him to know that she had to try so hard to resist him, to not fall prey to the ere of being around him, of being together.

To his own relief, she had put herself to sleep, breath evening out and brows straightening as she succumbed to the events of the day and fell into a slumber that was long overdue. If only for a moment, she had peace and that's all he could really ask for at that point. Between both of them flip-flopping with their emotions, one would think that they were both suffering from the same mood swings. But of course, the reality of their situation spoke louder than the possibility of hormones; in their situation, stability was the hardest thing to attain besides happiness.

Pulling onto Mifflin street made his heart drop for more reasons than one; perhaps it the realization that there was no one else to be the buffer between them or the fact that he would have to wake her up despite the peaceful state she seemed to be in. He doubted, she'd take too kindly to waking up in his arms as he carried her up their winding staircase.

So instead, he took the safe route and walked around to her side of his pickup and opened the door before guiltily running a thumb over her cheek, knowing that he could do no more; he had lost the privilege. She stirred at the touch but did not awaken, only leaning into his touch until he could lovingly cup her face. Only in her sleep could he get what he wanted most; touch her without recoil, see her at peace.

But it was always short-lived.

Her eyes flittered open and met his surprise for surprise. Neither of them said anything, both of them swallowed quickly; it was clear what they wanted, what would make them both happy but two things stood in the way of their future. Their past and their present; hidden weaknesses and broken promises.

He extended a shaky hand that she took reluctantly, stepping on the stool wordlessly before her heels hit the pavement and they were too close for comfort, toe to toe with nowhere to hide but behind a mask that the other could easily penetrate. Expectation leaned towards a moment, perhaps a kiss, but reality yielded a sleepy stare that slowly morphed into a blank state that he failed to decipher. She side stepped him and walked up the path slowly, obviously taking her time as to not slip and fall. He followed behind her, watching her steps closely for more than one reason.

Whens she reached for the railing, he was right behind her, cautious in her abnormal actions. Only when feeling weak, would she lean on something and even grabbing the rail took an ounce out of her pride. An unlocked door and an empty foyer left them both standing with nothing to say, nothing that could be said. Both wanted to try but were to hurt to admit it and neither were willing to accept their evils, their barriers keeping them from one another.

When standing in an awkward silence became excessive, she retreated to the stairway. It gave her pause, the twirling staircase that she stood in front of, a giant facing a giant.

She stared at the twisting steps as if it were a feat to be conquered by an exhausted, miserable, heavily pregnant Mayor. Walking from the foyer, she was barely upright before her purse slipped from her shoulder and she lazily stepped out of her heels, discarding them on the floor. Hearing the clatter, he peaked his head around the corner to see the mess that she left behind and the fact that she simply could care less, eyes practically shut as she slid her feet across the floor.

He shook his head, trying not to be angry. He told her that the job was beginning to take a toll on her and she should be on maternity leave but she didn't listen and now he was married to a zombie. When she met the mountain of stairs, her head inclined to the top and before she could give up and just go lay on the couch, an arm met the top of her back. "You're going on leave." He stated sternly, bending to undermined her knees before lifting her with an ease that he had long mastered.

She nodded weakly against his chest, eyes falling closed when she no longer had the responsibility of baring her own weight. Mumbling softly, she agreed with no more fight left in her. "Fine."

He stepped behind her, knowing that he had lost the privilege but still wondering if there were any exceptions for times like this. Feeling his presence, the ere of proximity closing in, she placed a hand on the rail and walked up the steps slowly but surely not looking for any assistance. If he couldn't stand beside her, then she didn't need him behind her.

Staying there felt like a haunted house with memories popping up at every corner and every turn. Was it the memory that scared him or the fact that he could never escape five years of his life that he had lived without regret? Was it the fact that the woman he should hate was the only person he could see spending the rest of his life with, the only women whose absence left him with a void, unable to be filled.

Or maybe it was the simple fact that he was beginning to understand her? The hesitation and reluctance to accept the bond that had been forged between them was dwindling. Like it or not, he had spent five years with her and six if he counted their short courtship. They were madly in love, every day for years and it is foolish to think that such feelings could be so easily diminished. Yes, there was hurt. Yes there was betrayal. Yes, there was anger. Yes, there was even hate. But he loved her more than he was hurt by her, he loved her more than the sting of betrayal he felt, he loved her more than the anger that sat within him and the love he felt made the hate seem insignificant.

But Snow.

They didn't have that long to be together and when they were taken away from each other, they were still finding their footing within the marriage. If she were to come back to him that day, he didn't know how he would feel. Perhaps elated that she was fine and well but the uneasiness would surely be there. Any decision he made would have consequences that seemed unbearable. He'd break Snow's heart, the town would turn against him and Emma would never experience having her parents together like she would have if the curse hadn't brought them to a new land.

But Regina.

If he left her, Charlotte's world would be turned upside down. She was already affected by their living situation and the changes in her mood were evident; she was detached and quieter, unlike herself. And there was another child to be added into the mix in a few months, a child that would grow up in a broken home. Of course, their children would know that they were loved and cherished but the tension between their parents would be impalpable. Emma was an adult but Charlotte was just a toddler. Not to mention Henry and the warped perception he had of his family. It was disconcerting to think of what his head must be filled with, living a town in which he was the only one who aged and made to feel as though he were imagining it; his anger was understandable.

He hadn't heard from Regina in a few hours and assumed that she was sleeping and avoiding him, avoiding him to sleep or sleeping to avoiding him; he didn't know which was her reasoning. In the end, she should be sleeping anyway after the short day of events that she had endured.

The doorbell rang and he was quick to answer it, hoping that the prolonged noise wouldn't wake her up prematurely. He opened the door to see a sullen Charlotte holding onto the hand of Ashley as they waited. The little girl looked up from the steel toed boots to the the badge and she knew who it was before her eyes could even reach his face. She lunged at him lovingly, wrapping her short arms around his legs as he laughed at her excitement. He bent down and gripped her sides, tossing her up in the air playfully.

"Daddy!" She buried her face in his shoulder as her arms wrapped around his neck, squeezing tightly. It had been too long since she came home and was greeted by her father, since she had both parents in the house. He waved a thanks to Ashley and she did the same, leaving to walk down the path as he closed the door behind them.

Charlotte lifted her head and planted a wet kiss on David's cheek, "I miss you, Daddy." He didn't know if she meant to say the past tense of miss, if she meant to say that she missed him before she saw him or that she actively missed him, that the driveby visits weren't working. Either way, it hurt his heart to think of her having to feel that way.

"I missed you too, Charlie horse." Carrying his daughter in his arms, he beamed with a rare fatherly pride as she nuzzled against him, playing with the collar of his shirt, fiddling the material between her tiny fingers.

When they reached the kitchen, he sat her down on the counter so that her legs hung free in the air. Looking up almost immediately, her brown eyes lit up with an unparalleled excitement, tinted with a bit of hesitation. "Is Mommy here?"

"Of course she's here." He flicked her cheek and she giggled, making a move to jump down from the counter. "Whoa, whoa girl." He stopped her by the waist and she spurred at him, imitating a frustrated horse. "Mommy's sleeping...I'm sure she'd love to play horsey with you when she wakes up, okay?" She pouted sadly, looking up at him with big brown eyes that melted his heart. Of course, he faltered looking at his little girl but he couldn't just wake up Regina when she was finally sleeping for the first time in God knows how long. "Okay, okay.." He mumbled to himself, looking away to avoid the puppy dog eyes. "Tell you what-" he took her down from the counter and bent to her level. "I'll play horsey with you."

Charlotte shook her head and folded her arms over her chest in a denial of his proposal. "No, Daddy."

He tried to suppress his laughter, holding to her elbows gently. "Why can't Daddy play horsey with you?"

"You're not a good horsey."

"Really?" He arched a brow but ended up just looking surprised when both his brows raised and Charlotte erupted into a fit of giggles that he took advantage of, tickling her until her laughter got too loud.

She caught her breath and flinched playfully at his hands that inched towards her, backing away with a grin. "Mommy said so, mommy said so!" She defended, attempting to get out of the tickle corner.

"What did mommy say?"

"She said you're not a good horsey but you can ride horsies." His smile fell momentarily, realizing that not only did their past haunt her put it slipped into their everyday life. He couldn't escape either life; the best he could do was meld the two together and deal with the residual.

"Can we color?"

"Sure," he bent down and spurred in her face, touching her cheek with his nose as he got on all fours without shame. "...if you can beat Mr. Horsey there." She laughed at his mediocre horse voice and noise, squealing when he nudged her forward with his head. She ran up the stairs and he ran behind her, hoping that the noise wouldn't wake his wife.

Wait...

Did he still have that privileged or had that been stripped too?

X

"Daddy, stay in the lines!" Charlotte demanded from the other side of the table, peering over at him every so often to inspect his coloring skills. She hadn't even trusted him enough to just let him draw, providing him with a coloring book as if he were a beginner and had to prove himself and work his way up the ladder.

"I'm trying Charlie.." Who knew the mailman was so hard to color? He lifted up his work and watched as Charlotte shook her head before taking the book and flipping the page.

"Mommy's better."

"Mommy is better at everything..." He mumbled, grabbing a new crayon to begin his second page.

"Daddy?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you staying?" Her question dropped a bomb on his chest but it didn't explode; it just ticked, waiting to bombard him with emotions.

"I uh.." He continued coloring, looking at the book. "I'll be here tonight, sweetie."

He paused, hearing her crayon drop on the table. Looking at her drawing, he could see where his answer had disappointed her, evident in the stray purple mark in her otherwise perfected drawing. Her eyes began to water and he knew that it was not what she meant. "What 'bout 'morrow?" Her unshed tears constricted her speech and she wiped at her eyes sheepishly.

Dammit. He was within seconds of shedding a tear or two as well. It was one thing to see his baby girl cry but to cry because her parents weren't under the same roof, to cry because they were arguing and wouldn't talk to each other-She had her parents since she was born and now all of a sudden things are different, things are broken.

"Hey, hey..." He quickly got out of the undersized chair and knelt in front of her with outstretched arms that she shook her head to. "It's alright Charlie sweetie, don't cry."

"I want mommy.." She grumbled, continuing to shake her head.

"I told you Charlie, she's sleeping.." He neared her and she backed away; Regina was usually the one to handle her when she got emotional, being the only one that was able to calm her down.

"Wake her up!" And now the tantrum was setting in. She didn't want to be placated, she wanted her parents-together. And she was expressing it in the only way she knew how.

"I can't do that Charlie..." He maintained a gentle voice, hoping that she wouldn't escalate to temper tantrum mode. Her face contorted in preparation for a good, loud cry and he panicked, speaking before he thought. "Because she's...she's got something for you." If Charlotte yelled, Regina would surely be up and angry.

She sniffled in response, covering her eyes as she wiped away the tears. "Wh-What?" Her response was hiccuped and choppy as he pulled her to him, having her sit on his knee as he came up with something to tell his emotional toddler.

"A...a baby."

"A b-baby?" She perked up, thinking of the chubby little people she rarely saw around town.

"A baby brother...like Henry but he's smaller." He sighed in relief, they hadn't even thought to tell Charlotte since he moved out and Regina was out of the danger zone but of course, they had forgotten a lot of things. What Charlotte assumed of her mother's weight gain wasn't even considered.

"Can I have him?" Her eyes widened with excitement, perking up her tear stained cheeks.

"See that's the thing Charlie honey, It's gonna take a while for Mommy to have him."

"How much longer?"

"A few months..."

She pouted but proceeded with the questions, "Where is he? Is he at the store where my Mommy get's by dollies?"

David chuckled, smoothing the hair on her face so that it curved to the side rather than over her eyes. "No sweetie, he's...he's in Mommy's tummy."

He touched a finger to her belly button and she giggled, looking at her own stomach curiously. "Do I have a baby brother in my tummy?"

"NO," he cleared his throat, "..um, no...no sweetie you don't..and you won't for a very long.." he paused, "...you won't, don't worry about it...ever." He kissed her forehead and she wrapped her arms around his neck, letting him lift her in the air. "Now, are ya hungry?"

She nodded shyly and he blew raspberries on her cheek, forgetting about the noises and only delighting in the sound of her happiness, what sounded like pure, unadulterated happiness. "Well, let's do something about that...What do ya say..." He pulled her in front of him with outstretched arms and she grinned when he pressed her forehead to his. "I will make you a grilled cheese..."

"Yay!" She clapped happily.

"But..." The clapping stopped and she squinted at him. If his grip wasn't so firm around her small waist, the uncanny resemblance to her mother would've made him drop her, startled by the sudden feelof staring at Regina face to face. "...you have to teach me to be a better horsey."

She nodded and he kissed her cheek once more, hoisting her on his hip as he bolted down the stairs, valuing the time they had together. Plans for the next day were unknown and the way they were living, even the evening was unknown.

X

Charlotte had passed out shortly after eating, typical of her after a playful day. Once again, the house was quiet and he was left with the memories that were left in each room and at every corner. Maybe if his reaction wasn't so immediate, maybe if he talked to her instead of talked at her; there were too many things that he could have done to change the course of events that led to their crosswords but the issue at hand was the present, not the should've, could've, would'ves of the past.

He had left work early, happy to come home and see his family, spend more time with his wife and child. He had planned to ask what she thought the sex of the baby was, knowing that it was too early but still unable to contain his wandering thoughts. He had a feeling that it was a boy but he'd hear her thoughts before telling her to avoid her hormonal wrath.

Something had been off wit her though, besides the nausea and the fatigue she just didn't seem like herself. Things had, of course, been different since Emma came into town but he didn't see the woman as a threat so much as an opportunity for Henry to avoid questions later on in life about his birth parents. Emma being in town could be good, but his wife didn't see it that way. She had tried her best to get the woman out of town, tactics that he and Graham, at times, turned a blind eye to. Pulling up into the driveway, he hoped that she was feeling better.

But walking into the home, he knew that his hopes were not to be fulfilled."Regina?" Walking up the mini flight of stairs, he found the source of sadness to be his wife sitting at the head of the dining room table with only a box of Kleenex and a cup of tea to soothe her.

"What-" He paused, seeing the suitcases lined up beside her. "Why are your bags packed?"

She lifted her eyes to meet his eyes and the sight nearly broke her. The imp was right, she had fallen for Prince Charming. She knew this by the way her body ached to be held by him, her lips yearned to be kissed by his and the only thing that had the ability to calm her was his voice. "My bags aren't packed, yours are." He took a step back and she motioned for him to sit, in which he did, almost immediately reaching for her hand.

She placed her hand in her lap, refusing any contact. "You're going to want to leave when I finish."

Little did he know, he had left work early, happy to come home and see his family, spend more time with his wife and child only to find out that his life was a lie, an intricate aspect in a game that he was not a player in; just a pawn.

But that was in the moment, in a moment of anger and betrayal and hate culminated into a dramatic exit that he hadn't planned. In the moment, he felt like a pawn, like he lived a lie so intricately told that it's fabrication was hard to grasp. He didn't know that she had forfeited the game when they said 'I do' nor did he know that when he would try to go back to Snow, it would be that forced relationship that felt like a lie, like the fabrication.

He stood in front of her door, hesitant to knock or even make a move towards going in. His fist lightly rapped against the white wood and there was silence in return. She had been asleep for hours and if he recalled correctly, the only thing she had that day was coffee. And that was before she got sick, so it was plausible to say that she hadn't eaten anything and the afternoon was coming to a close.

Without a response, he assumed that she was asleep and decided to save their conversation for another time, she'd probably want to be well rested to hear what he had to say. With Charlotte conked out, he was free to prepare a small tray for her to wake up to, she would probably want something small since her nausea usually lingered. Almonds, he remembered that they settled her stomach and she usually snacked on them throughout the day. Craisins, not cranberries, not raisins but craisins; he hadn't forgotten that since getting hit in the head with a pack of cranberries and a box of raisins. Her aim had probably improved and he'd rather not take the chance. Ginger tea, a remedy Granny suggested with the last pregnancy. Grabbing a loose paper, he penned a sloppy note in his adolescent hand writing.

If you want anything else, I can ask Ruby to bring over that salad you like. Fetta pomegranate or whatever, just call my phone so you don't have to yell or get up. I'm downstairs.

He thought nothing of the note, thinking it considerate rather than something strictly related to their relationship. He wanted her to rest and that was the bottom line. Taking the tray upstairs, he balanced it on one hand as he turned the knob and opened the door slowly. It creaked in response and he cringed as he walked on his tippy toes, trying his best not to spill her tea. When he was successful, he set the small tray on her end table and couldn't help the glance that he took.

He couldn't feel anything negative towards her, he could see none of her past, none of their past. He just saw Regina, as she stirred lying on her side he just saw Regina and it became even more clear that the woman he hurt was Regina not some evil persona.

His phone buzzed in his pocket and she turned in her sleep, obviously disturbed. Hastily, he reached in his pocket to see that a photo was coming in from Emma in a text message. Keeping one eye on his phone and one eye on Regina, his flip phone was taking forever to load.

"Stay..."

It was small but audible, something that stopped him in his tracks and paused all other thoughts. Her arm sleepily rubbed at the empty spot across from her and he was stuck, glued to the floor as she sleepily gave him the invitation to be there for her that he had been wanting, the privilege that had been revoked. But did she mean it?

Before he could even process that, the waiting was over and a photo of a fax came through. He squinted, zooming in on the center of the document so that he could see the contents.

Storybrooke General Hospital

Dr. Warren

VICTIM # 024083492442

Sample 1: Evidence # 004; Code Match 459930

Sample 2: DNA o/ Victim # 024083492442 MATCH of Sample # 004

Requested by EMMA SWAN

Requested by SIDNEY GLASS


	13. Improvement

"What does this mean?" It was a whisper that he tried to suppress, turning away from the sleeping form on the bed. He walked towards the window, running a hand through his hair and he listened to the heavy breathing on the other end, muffled sounds hovering in the distance. "Emma?" She was unresponsive, but she was still there, she was still listening to him. "Emma, what does this mean?!"

"She's dead David! She's DEAD!" When her yells hit his ear, the phone dropped from his grasp and fell to the floor. It made no difference as both hands lifted to go through his hair, to rake over his face. His body gave way to the shock he felt and he could do nothing but turn around, only taking a few steps before his body couldn't take him anywhere.

He looked through watery eyes to see that she was still asleep, that she was still peaceful but he couldn't act on her words now. Snow was dead but he knew that she didn't do it, within the depths of himself he knew that she didn't do it but Snow was dead. Snow was dead. Snow was gone. Snow was dead. Snow was gone. Snow was gone. Snow was gone. Snow was gone.

Snow was dead.

Repeating it in his head did nothing to add to the reality, only acting to stomp on his emotions and kill his will to walk on. But he couldn't stay in that room, he couldn't mourn for her in a room consecrated for another purpose with another woman. The passion was gone, the intensity was gone but he still cared for her, he still loved her. And this news, this is what broke him.

The curse was close to breaking.

She was broken

And David, he was broken as well.

Discarding his deeds, he was a man in mourning, torn inside by the happenings of the day. He reached the door and closed it without care for the noise, barely cognizant of his thoughts let alone his actions. He could no longer feel her but then again, he hadn't felt her for a while now. With every step, he cursed himself for hurting her, he cursed himself for leaving her and letting her die. He couldn't help but feel that if things had been different than she would be alive, she would be well, she would be breathing. They might not be together but at least she would have the chance to be happy.

But she was dead and Ruby was right, it was his fault. If he had waited, if he just tried to think things through and not immediately go back to Snow, maybe things would be different. He just felt so guilty for enjoying his time with Regina, for missing her, that he ran even quicker to Snow, to attain some of his old life. He hadn't realize that he will always have his old life but in the present, there were a new set of circumstances.

Circumstances that he failed to accommodate. Circumstances that he allowed to cripple him, to change him, to break him. Under these circumstances, he became the type of man to string two women along. He became the type of man to accuse his wife of abusing his children. He became the type of man to leave without notice. He became the type of man that hurt the people he loved when they had hurt him. He became a man that could no longer look in the mirror.

And now Snow was dead.

She knew that her door had closed since the noise had been made as she was transitioning from a deep sleep to practically waking up. Taking a moment, to sink into her sheets,she glanced over at the open side next to her and couldn't help but feel that something had occurred connected to it while she slept. It was different, still in the same shape; untouched and all, but it was different, only slightly ruffled by what she could only assume was her own hand.

The faint noise in the distance was something that caught her ear but she didn't move, still feeling the weight of her body. A few hours of sleep were drops in the bucket of exhaustion that she suffered from but as the noise persisted, she grew even the more curious. And then it stopped, abruptly and suddenly.

It could be an intruder but David was in the house, he had to be. Her door had just closed and he wouldn't leave Charlotte alone. Unless Charlotte was asleep and him closing the door was to avoid her hearing the front door shut. Debating with herself to care or not care, to check or not check, her interest won out and she found herself lifting from the bed with due effort. It felt as though she hadn't slept at all but she wouldn't show it. Maybe her steps were slower and her posture found comfort in something to lean on but her face would never tell the troubles of her body.

She peeked in on Charlotte, smiling to see that her little girl was asleep in her bed for a nap that she would soon be up from. After doing that, she sought out the noise and guessed that it came from downstairs so she advanced in that direction. There was a stillness in the air, something to be weary of, something that she was weary of. And when she reached the bottom of the stairs, she knew why.

"Where is Charlotte?" Her mouth opened but she didn't say anything, only sniffling in response. He got up from the table silently, his only show of violence being the slam of his chair against the table as he 'slid' it forward. She jumped as it clanked against the floor, hesitating before she followed quickly behind him, making the sudden move to grab his arm.

The ferocity in which he pulled away should not have shocked her, nor should the hatred in his eyes but the little imp was right-She had fallen in and now she was feeling everything. He pointed a finger at her, eyes wide and face red. "You-I am not going to hurt you- I don't want to hurt you because you are carrying my child but so help me Regina-don't push me."

End of Flashback

She stepped back at his words, feeling as though he might as well have slapped her. It would've been an easier blow to take. He turned away from her, his only show of anger being the cursed yell he let out as he ascended the stairs and his fist jutted out suddenly, punching a hole in a wall that they had painted together. Seconds passed, minutes passed and what could be transpiring filled her mind. She wanted to act but she was glued to her spot, only daring to move when she saw him once again with a sleeping toddler hanging on his shoulder.

She had asked Gus to plaster over the hole and he complied, giving him something to do as they feigned his working on the house to appease the nosy townspeople. The spot was plastered and painted over when the young man left and now that she looked at it, the hole was back and lightly smeared with crimson stains. It was a haunting sight, to see the damage on the wall and the damaged man bent over on the bottom of the staircase.

If she turned back now, he wouldn't know that she saw him, that she heard him. If she turned back now, she could go back to sleep and wake up as if she had seen nothing and he would think that she saw nothing. If she turned back now, she would leave him injured and in tears; it was hard to tell but she knew, she always knew when he was truly hurting.

She could feel it.

And the tug on her heart is what made her stay. The tables were turned and she ended up being the one to go to him, to stay with him. She stopped three steps above him and he turned slightly, sniffling at her presence. He seemed to double take, almost flinching at the woman that stood behind him. He didn't feel like he deserved her standing behind him when he failed to do so with her. But she was there for a reason, her face was unmoving and emotionless, not that she didn't care but she wasn't aware of the situation. His back was hunched as the tears slipped down his nose. He looked up at her with red stained eyes and a bloodied t-shirt, clutching his red hand to his stomach.

Pushing himself up from the steps, he stood on the foyer floor, legs hitting the wooden steps as he stared ahead, attempting to keep the little composure he had left. She looked at him, her head tilting to the side as the tears fell from his face and he wept before her, bringing an involuntary shine to her own eyes.

"The evidence is piling up." The conflict is clear in his voice and he musters the nerve to look in her eyes, to meet her brown for blue. Despite everything that had transpired between them, the hate that bubbles beneath the love and the love that is shaded by the hate, her eyes are sincere. He can't deny that.

"What evidence?" What could have caused the shift in the atmosphere, the tears in his eyes?

He exhaled shakily, leaning into the table so that his hands could gather atop of them, inches from hers that laid flat against the wood. "We found a heart..." It's beginning to eat at him that he can't tell if she's hurt or not, that he can't tell if she's alive or dead. When she fell into the sleeping curse, he knew, he felt her slip from the grasps of his heart and now-he felt nothing. He would trust the lack of feeling as knowing that she was alright if he didn't know that the love he had for another might be clouding their love that had faded. "Regina if you need to tell me anything, tell me now before things get out of hand."

At his request, the slim fingers that were inches from him began to recede away from his presence, seemingly burned by his words. She met him eye for eye and tear for tear and she smiles. She smiles because the little sliver of trust she had placed in him was barely finished forming before he stomped on it.

"You know, for a second, I almost thought you believed in me." Not that he believed that she was telling the truth, but that he believed she wouldn't do something like this.

Not now.

"Regina that's not fair," he cleared his throat, "...What am I supposed to think when there's a heart sitting in a lab waiting to be tested!?"

She was able to put two and two together. He knew she didn't do it, it was clear in his eyes, but another fact was clear as well.

Snow was dead.

She took a step down without leaving his eyes so that she was still above his height but she could reach him. Her hand touched the back of his neck and he fell into her, cleaving to her body when she pulled him to her and restored his privileges. There was nothing sexual about their contact, nothing lustful in him sobbing into her chest and the gentle stroking of his hair to soothe him. He had lost a loved one, he had lost someone that was supposed to be his true love.

Her reaction said more about her than any of the words she had spoken before, any of the times she had claimed that she was not who she used to be, that she had changed. The sullen brunette did not rejoice at the news, but rather, she shed a few tears as well because regardless of their past, a life was lost that could have been spared and because of that, David was hurting.

And the soul ties that they had wished away, that they sometimes regreeted refused to allow him to hurt without her hurting as well. So her head fell against his as he cried, soaking her pajama top, for the memories, for the loss, for the pain. Together they wept, pain for pain, loss for loss, memory for memory.

When her tears were long dried and his continued to fall, she still held him. She stroked his cheek until his body stopped shaking and her hand was no longer dampened by his tears. After a while, neither of them took mind of his head against her chest, of her hands on his face. For a moment, they were just David and Regina, two people that married for a love so rare that they knew they'd never find anything else like it. There was no curse, there was no magic and there was no pain.

Only for a moment.

Her hands gently cupped his cheek and lifted his head so that the weight of it was felt against her palm. Silently, her hands left his face and he immediately missed the contact, only gaining some back when her fingers grazed lightly against his skin. She took another step down and pulled at his stained shirt. He lifted his arms limply and she was patient with him, taking the material little by little until it reach his hands and she paid special attention to not touch his knuckles.

Uncaring of the mess, she balled his soiled shirt in her hand and led him up the stairs with the other. He was practically lifeless, too heartbroken to lift up his head. He just followed by the lead of her hand until they entered their bedroom an she disappeared into the closet, leaving him in the middle of the room. His hand was cold for a moment, without contact or warmth from another person. He was feeling it in his hand now but he wondered if it was how Regina felt, when he left was her whole body cold? Did he leave her feeling empty?

She reappeared seconds later and took his hand once more, not minding the lost look on his face. She led him into the bathroom and he had enough cognizance to sit on the edge of the tub as she bent to reach the bottom of the sink. He noticed he difficulty she had doing so but he seemed to be moving in slow motion and she had what she sought before he had a chance to offer her any help. She set the first-aid kit on the counter and reached for his hand, hesitantly extending it towards herself. As she inspected the damage, his words were soft and the emotion was clear in his voice.

"I feel relieved."

She paused her movements and balanced his hand in her palm, looking up to meet his eyes as they watered. It was more than just being in mourning, he felt guilty. The woman he was supposed to love was gone and her absence had relieved him of his attachment to her. He was attempting to be with her out of obligation and with her gone, those obligations were null and void. And he hated himself for seeing the positive in a tragedy so quickly. There shouldn't be a light at the end of this tunnel, this never ending tunnel.

But there was.

And he hated himself for it.

She shook her mind of any thoughts and concentrated on his wounds, deflecting from what he had just confessed. Looking at the alcohol and the peroxide, she knew that it would sting and despite being the manly man that he was, without anger as a cushion, such pain as she was about to inflict caused a backlash that she didn't want to deal with.

"Are there any stains on my shirt?" She asked cooly, soaking a bandage in the cleaning substances, He looked at the material, hoping that none of his blood had got on her. Seeing a small mark above her navel area, he forgot any invisible boundaries just as she had expected him to and reached for stomach, wordlessly thumbing at the small red spot on her silk pajamas. Beneath his touch, he felt a flutter and she pressed the alcohol to his wounds but he didn't even flinch, too enamored with the movement under his hand.

He didn't smile or grin, nor was he beaming with fatherly pride. He just held his good hand to her abdomen, allowing the bricks to fall on him once more. He would never get back the time he missed, the memories that could have been made or the love they could have shared rather than the fights they had and the energy they wasted. Once his wound was cleaned, she wrapped the bandage around his hand so that it covered him from palm to knuckle.

She was done, letting go of his hand until she just stood silently as he felt the son that he hadn't felt before, as he experienced something that he could have experienced before if they weren't so embroiled in anger. She offered him a tight smile, not allowing herself to get wrapped up in a moment that could be so much more than it was. That was their problem now; life gave them an inch and they took a mile.

"I'm sorry."

The other woman he should be apologizing to was gone, so he spoke to the one in front of him before it was too late. He was sorry for coming back just to leave, he was sorry for leaving in the first place, he was sorry for the accusations and the words he couldn't take back. She had apologized countless times, sought his forgiveness countless times and now, he couldn't look into her eyes without doing the same.

His hand remained on her stomach and she was stuck, nearly shaking with what she was presented with. To throw away the anger and pain was unprecedented but to not feel some sort of gratification for his actions and for his words was unreal.

"You need a new shirt." She walked away and his hand slipped down to his thigh, leaving him on the side of the tub confused and alone. He felt at peace, surprisingly. His heart ached for the loss but it was lighter without the tug of war from side to side, from life to life, from love to love. There was a sense of peace.

He stood on his own two feet and left the bathroom, padding around the floor barefoot as he walked into the closet. She turned around, pausing in her movements when he appeared in front of her, somber and upset.

He stood in front of their bed, head down and bare of back. She lifted a brow as she laid down and he shrugged as if his face didn't scream the disappointment he felt but refused to voice. She rolled her eyes and patted the bed for him to join her.

"I can't believe they lost." He shook his head and laid on top of the covers, discarding his shoes at the same time. "It's my lucky jersey, I didn't have my lucky jersey." All he could remember was the look on Graham's face when he had to fork up fifty bucks from their bet.

She slid down under the covers with her tissue box and he eyed her suspiciously, "...Regina," he drawled, not trusting the look on her face as she averted his eyes. A soft navy blue material peaked out from the covers and he peeled them back hurriedly, agape at what he saw. "Thief!"

"Henry threw up on all my pajamas," she exclaimed, reaching for the covers as a chill passed by. "And I can't breathe through my nose and the stupid thing makes me feel better!" Her head fell back against the pillow as he sat up, giving her a glaring look.

But of course, she was the master of stares and guises so the puppy dog look he was getting melted his heart in no time. "Tell me next time.." He coaxed, pulling the covers back up to her as she snuggled closer to his chest, seeking his warmth. "It looks better on you anyway."

The steps she took were slow and reticent, fingers gathered around a gray material that she lifted over his hand, gently pulling it to his neck. The cotton gathered around muscles that flexed to look at her, to watch the confliction on her face.

He pushed his arms through and a tear escaped her, the first he'd seen. The shirt fell down his torso and his face neared hers, an unexpected development that she wasn't expecting. He kissed the wet trail that ran down her face, for the pain, for the loss and for the memories. He pressed his lips against her other cheek, softly lingering on her skin until she let out a shuddering breath that left more tears for him to kiss away.

This was his Regina, the vulnerable, gentle and sometimes broken Regina. She loved hard to a fault and when she trusted you, it was a rare occurrence. Her head turned away from him because she had promised herself that she would not cry another tear, not over him and not over their relationship. But just as he mourned, she was in mourning as well.

For a future that had so much potential for love, for happiness.

They were both broken, tears slipping down their fallen masks. They could not hide from each other, stripped of any pretenses and left barren before the other. She met his eyes and he could tell that she was weary, that she was afraid; the pain had been too great to endure.

The tears constricted his throat and he spoke, "You need a new shirt," his voice wavering with every word. He reached besides him and retracted with a worn blue material, patterned with logos and red signs. The shirt hung on his shoulder as his hands reached for her buttons, undoing them one by one, touch by touch. Their eyes never left the others' and he grazed against her skin to remove a shirt for a single small stain; but it was reason enough for him to do so.

There was anxiety there, tension, sadness, yearning for the other. He pulled the material gently over her head, smoothing her hair down with the palm of his hand when the shirt gathered around her neck. He pulled it down further and her arms pushed through, allowing the jersey to fall shorter than usual. PATRIOTS ran across her chest and she looked down, a memory sodden jersey atop her silk bottoms.

"It doesn't match." He offered her a smile that was met with a tear and a shrug. To him it was perfect; it would make her feel better.

The doorbell sounded downstairs and neither of them moved, unaffected by the persistent person downstairs. His hand met her waist and for the first time, she stiffened. The lack of trust became evident when her head dipped to avoid him, to avoid the intimacy that she had already fell into. An extra party would have expected him to kiss her, to seal the moment with locked lips and feverish hands. But that's not who they were, that's not what they were based on.

He embraced her

He wrapped his arms around her and covered her head with his hand. She hadn't felt safe, she hadn't felt warm, she hadn't felt loved and he was there to restore what he had taken for her. Her eyes fell closed and she stopped fighting him, she stopped fighting him and she allowed herself to let go. There was no vengeance, there was only forgiveness; a prospect that had long seemed too far to hope for. For the first time in a long time, their relationship felt unconditional.

Their love, it was unconditional.

There was a faint sound in the distance that gave them both pause; the front door opening. He took hold of her shoulders and stepped back, looking in her wide eyes with a whisper, "Stay here." She nodded quickly, a bit disconnected at the abrupt ending to their reconciliation. Someone had obviously broken into their home before and placed a threat against two of the most important people in his life.

He closed the bedroom door behind him and moved towards the stairway, making his presence known to the intruder. He stopped at the bottom of the staircase, near the hole that he had inflicted upon the wall and stopped when he saw the blonde ponytail swing around.

"Emma?" She raised her weapon in his direction and he lifted his hands, eyeing her bloodshot eyes. "Emma I'm not armed." The blonde was unmoving and he came closer, strengthening his voice. "Lower your weapon." She did so slowly, shaking with her anger until he spoke again, "Drop it."

She shook her head, keeping the gun beside her side. "I don't trust you." Her mouth fell into a thin line and he extended his hand, reaching for the weapon that he had issued to her.

He faltered, not expecting her to feel like that. Of course, he knew that they were on rocky terms but he had never given her the impression that he wasn't behind her, that he didn't have her back. "Emma, I would never hurt you."

"Are you aligned with her? Did you help her do this?"

"Emma, Regina didn't-"

"She killed my mother." Her voice broke involuntarily and she stuck her weapon in it's holster. She had never gotten the chance to call her mother, her mother. As soon as she'd gotten the parents that she had wanted her whole life, they were taken from her, ripped like a mat from her feet so that she fell to the ground, shaken and unprepared. Regina was right, she had no tears left to cry.

Just anger.

She moved towards the staircase but he blocked her access. "Emma, I can't...I can't let you do that." He reached out once more, regretting what he had to do. "You're too close to this case."

"We're all too-" She began to repeat what he had said but he reached for her badge on the side of her hip before she had a chance to step away from him.

"What the hell, David?"

"Take a few days off, deal with the news...I'll handle it from this point."

She gripped her holster securely, not letting it go that easily. "Fuck you if ya really think I'm just going to sit on my ass while you shack up with the witch that killed my mom, the woman that was supposed to be your wife but you were too busy thinking with your dick to do anything about it." She stepped back with filled eyes, exhaling shakily before biting down on her bottom lip. Her hand unclipped the gun and let it clank to the floor, bullets sprawling from the impact. "

"Emma-"

"Don't.." She silenced him, sticking her hands in the tight pockets of her jeans. "You've made your choice," she reached for the knob, "You chose them." And with that, she left, slamming the door behind her. David exhaled, running a hand through his hair as he bent down to pick up the gun and it's discarded bullets, knowing that this was not the end.

He was actively mourning Snow but she was too angry to see it, he didn't see the pain in his eyes or the cried tears on his face; her anger was understandable. Of course, he wanted nothing more than to be a father to her as weird as it would seem at first but she thought that he had chosen another family over them. Regina and Charlotte, perhaps? He didn't compare his daughters and loved them both but there was too much turmoil to see clearly.

The haze would remain and he expected her to be angry, for a while.

In the meantime, he needed to find out who was framing Regina and who killed his wife, who added to the mess that they already had. Without the proper information, they were left in a puddle of opinions, lies and facts that they couldn't sort through. The town would begin to fall apart, people would fear for their lives if they thought that there was a murderer running around cutting hearts out hearts and the Sheriff's department hadn't done anything. This was the work of more than one man; it was too intricate to be one man.

They needed answers.

Once the mess was collected, he stashed the gun in his safe and closed the office door behind him before running upstairs to tell Regina that the coast was clear. Going to the bedroom, he found that it was empty. He checked the closet; empty. He checked the bathroom; empty. Part of him wanted to panic but the other part was settled, telling him to check the other rooms. Though she was bold, she wouldn't risk her safety for her pride, not now.

He found her in Charlotte's room, holding the toddler in her arms. She was lightly brushing the bangs from her face as the little girl wiped at her eyes sleepily, coming out of her nap. Regina looked up to see him standing in the doorway and she searched his eyes for confirmation of their safety, that everything was okay. He nodded and walked over to them, peeking in at his little Charlie horse as she cuddled into her mother's side, still wracked with slumber.

Did he make a choice that he wasn't aware of? Was he incapable of being there for both of his families, for all of his children? Had he failed as a father?

She saw the turmoil in his eyes and offered Charlotte to him, inching her small frame in his direction. He took her eagerly, needing to hold his child, to know that he hadn't lost them both and he hadn't completely failed. Down on one knee, he balanced her on his leg to wake her up while rubbing soothing circles on her back as she came to. With a glance, he found brown eyes looking at him reluctantly but they weren't Charlotte's

Her eyes wore all the fear in her heart, the uneasiness. She wondered what they were doing, what did this mean, how would they get through things, how would they go on? She wondered if they had a future or she was just fooling herself to sleep at night. She wondered if he had regret for his actions, if the bits and pieces of what she heard had changed his mind.

He kissed her cheek.

They had a lot to talk about and a lot of issues to work out. They had problems to solve and curses to break, people to mourn and people to carry. There were a lot of things that were unknown, unable to be deciphered; but one thing was clear.

They were making progress.

But they knew that with them, nothing seemed to last long enough; it was always for a moment.


	14. Chapter 14

It's a new day; a new day to mourn and a new day to move on, to forgive and to forget. With death in place, it is easy to fill the void with old routines, to go back to the way things were to avoid how things currently are. A heart no longer beats and you try your damnedest not to forget but also, your hardest to live your life.

There's tension between him and her, unresolved issues and old arguments still rolling beneath the surface but in the short term, it's easier to ignore than to deal. It's easier for him to sleep on the couch rather than to explain to Charlotte why he has to sleep at Granny's. It's easier to kiss his wife on the cheek then look into her eyes and face the pain he's caused. But of course, sometimes when things are easier in the in the moment, they're harder in the long run.

Two days have passed and they haven't left the house. All incidents are reported to David's personal phone rather than the Sheriff's all-call line, but nothing has required his active assistance. With Mrs. Truman temporarily running the town and Regina still acting as though someone wasn't there to do the work, they had fallen into a routine of sorts, of past.

At times it is awkward, it gets tense but it's all they have to work with, unable to push past the happenings of the past months as if they had meant nothing. But they've kept their distance, really only seeing each other in passing as if they weren't cohabiting together. Silently, they leaned on one another. Words had been their downfall as of late so their interaction had been reduced to small gestures, acts of kindness and love that didn't require much to be said.

It was difficult to understand really but that's only if you were only on the outside looking in. The wordless dropping off of coffee, giving the other tidbits on the case to crack the secrets, sitting in silence when another phone call comes in. First it was Ruby, hysterical over the death of her best friend, livid at their supposed involvement and resentful of her broken trust. A voice mail from Albert Spencer about when an arrest was going to be made; A call from Mother Superior about a memorial service and her knowledge of their trysts.

In the midst of madness, he had found himself to be occupied with a project of his own, something to keep his mind off things and hopefully lift Regina's spirits about the pregnancy. Despite the stress and drama, it was supposed to be a joyous time yet all he seemed to see her experience was pain and sadness. It had been a difficult road physically and he saw the toll it took on her, and he wanted nothing more than to relieve her stress; but they weren't there yet. He was doing the most he could do, and it would be a surprise when she saw it.

So yes, he had been secretive about it, going so far as to lock the door when he leaves so that her access is revoked. With one last look at his progress, he closed the door behind him, knowing that it was secure when the lock clicked in place.

"Why'd you lock the door?"

She hadn't said anything about it, she hadn't noticed it...but she notices everything. He looked at her with wide eyes while the rest of his body responded coolly, acting as though it was completely normal; however, his face didn't seem to get the memo.

"Why are you," He drawled out his question as she neared him with an arched eyebrow and suspicion leering in her stare. He narrowed his eyes and looked her up and down, noting the blazer, dress and heels; "...so dressed up?"

She started to walk around him but he side-stepped her, blocking her entry, to which she straightened her shoulders and threw her head back as if she were addressing a court. "I need to get something, if you don't mind."

"What do you need out of an empty room?" Her eyes narrowed to meet his eyes and they stared at each other, neither of them looking to back down. She stalked closer, invading his personal space until the point of her heel met his boot. He lifted his chin and stared down at her, hiding a discreet smile when she bent into his chest briefly.

Her eyes flicked up at him with her nose mere centimeters from his body, "You smell like paint," she spoke softly.

He shrugged and she took slow steps backwards, eyeing him carefully. Part of her wanted to know what was up his sleeve but the other part, the part that won out, decided that if it occupied his time and kept him from punching more holes in their walls then he should have at it.

"Anyway, Charlotte's waiting for me downstairs, she wanted to make turnovers..."Her tone was off, balancing a thread between monotony and uncomfortableness; his theory was confirmed when his eyes met hers and she immediately bounced her own brown orbs to the doors around them.

"Yum..." He enthused awkwardly, trying not to seem too happy even though they truly were his favorite dessert.

"So..." She looked around, linking her hands behind her back as they stood in front of each other.

"So..." He chuckled awkwardly, finding humor in the moments where they could find nothing to do but look everywhere but each other. Their thoughts were roaming, their wants were clear and their needs were apparent. But they just stood.

"MOMMY, C'MON!" The ravaged yell was heard all the way upstairs and both parents cringed at their temper magnet toddler, impatient like her mother and a yeller like her father.

"I guess you're going to go make some turnovers." He chuckled lightly, earning a sheepish but rare smile from her; one that had her quickly turning around so that he was unaware of how long her smile really did last.

He waited for her to disappear around the bend and crept across the floor to make sure that she had descended the stairs before digging the color swatches out of his back pocket, flipping through them cursively before checking his phone. _0 messages,_ with no one to complain and no one in trouble he was free to head back to the office to check his pager just to be sure.

It was hard to work on the case but he spent as much time as his heart would let him burning the midnight oil to crack the codes that he seemed to be missing. Something was off but he just couldn't put his finger on it. Going down the stairs, he stuck both his phone and the swatches back in his pocket before walking into the office to come face to face with sneakers and a book bag.

"What the..." He mumbled, watching as the boy he had been a father to for five years climbed through the office window as if he had done it too many times to count. "Henry?"

The ten year old jumped, turning around only to back into the wall. "Wha-What are you doing here?"

"I think the real question is, what are _you_ doing here?" David crouched down in front of him, pulling at his slacks as he gauged the boy's emotions, watching as seemed too tense for comfort.

"I want to talk to Regina." He jutted out his chin, putting up his bravado just as his mother would.

"Henry she's your mother-"

"Emma's my mom now!" The young boy spoke up, eyes already filling. "SHE-" he pointed to open door as if she was standing there, "murdered Mary Margaret! and she needs to confess so that you and Emma can find her body..." He looked away just as his mother had minutes before, averting his eyes as a tear escaped him with the thought of his deceased teacher.

On the inside, David was raging. A ten year old shouldn't know anything about the case, let alone that his mother was a suspect or they couldn't find a body. "Henry, your mom didn't do this.."

"You believe her?!" He scratched at the back of his head, allowing the bag on his shoulders to slide down. "C'mon, David-We gotta get Charlotte outta here, YOU gotta get out of here-Before you guys are next-"

"Hey!" He took Henry by the shoulders, looking at him sternly without any hesitation. "You don't talk about your mother that way-"

"She's a murderer-"

"She is NOT a murderer and you're not going to go talk to her if all you're going to do is accuse her of something she didn't do and upset her."

"What do you care?!" He was silent, wordlessly giving the boy exactly what he didn't want to know. The disbelief in the boy's eyes were impalpable as he back away, unable to comprehend what he was hearing. "Do you still love her?"

David shook his head, not wanting to go there with a child still in elementary school. "Henry-"

"She's gonna hurt you, " he slid the straps back on his shoulder, "...the evil queen hurts everyone that's close to her." When David was unmoving in his resolve, Henry huffed and shook his head, climbing back out the window before the Sheriff could protest. His sneakers hit the grass and he was off running in the opposite direction before anyone could catch up with him.

Conflicted, David could do no more than run a hand down his face as another stack seemed to fall on him. They were much closer before he remembered, before the curse began to unravel. After his off-centered suggestions that he should be with Mary Margaret, their relationship was strained but not as strained as him and his mothers. But that's just it, she was his mother and despite what she's done, she loves him and actively seeks forgiveness. Had he not seen that part of her, had he not looked passed her being the Evil Queen and seen her as his wife, as Regina, then they wouldn't be in the place where they currently were.

Things were the farthest thing from perfect, they were still hurting, they were still angry and betrayal lingered in the depths of their heart but they saw the other as a person, not a persona from a book. They became people seeking to heal, to understand, people wishing life back to the way it used to be.

With a glance at the desk that both him and Regina were using, their stacks somewhat intertwined, something he knew he'd catch hell for later, his pager was nowhere to be seen. With a drawn out sigh, he trotted out of the office with hopes that Charlotte hadn't once again absconded with his pager so that it could be Barbie's new television.

He never made it to the kitchen, stopped in his tracks by the black and red form siting in the living room. She and Charlotte were supposed to be making turnovers but there she sat, thumbing at the material on her apron. He was hesitant in his movements, pausing on the tip of his toes as he turned to walk into a room guarded by her emotions. She obviously felt safe there, sitting in a thick silence, undisturbed and unmoving. She chose that place to set a somber tone, for something he didn't know of. Walking in might take away that sanctuary, that feeling of safety.

She was fine moments ago, sniffing his shirt for traces of any activity that she was not privy of. She even seemed, if he dared to think, happy. She smiled at him, and it was short lived but it was a smile. And now she sat in silence, tracing a crease in her apron. He bit the bullet and walked in front of her, getting the message when he was not acknowledged even by a fractional movement, her finger steadily just moving across the material.

She had heard him. Knowing Charlotte, he guessed that she forgot her bear that she claimed to be an experienced cook and went in search of him. Following behind her, she must've come across their voices in the office and heard their discussion.

At first he sat on the other end of the couch, giving her the warranted space of their predicament. "You told me that he hated me but I didn't want to believe it." The first words that she spoke were small and detached; it showed her attempt to distance herself, to not fall into what was familiar. "I knew it was true but I," she shrugged, holding back the tears that pooled in her eyes, "I didn't want to believe it."

He couldn't tell her that he didn't mean it because in the moment he did, he wanted her to feel the burn of her betrayal, of their separation. He wanted to ensure that every part of him that ached, ached within her as well. What he didn't expect was for his pain to be soothed and hers to be just beginning. The price of passing the buck on your own emotions, your own anger; those that suffer with you, suffer differently.

"I really," she turned to look at him, hesitant with the fear that he may not understand, that he may turn away, "I really messed up, didn't I?" The curse had cost her more than the plight of happiness, but it cost her Henry. With the back and forth between her and David, there seemed to be no room for anyone else to get between them, to get in the midst of the drama but alas, Henry was. He was hurting beyond what any of them knew. With a warped sense of good and evil, family divided on either sides, his confusion was natural and the anger was somewhat warranted. "You were right."

It wasn't something that he wanted to be victorious at, correctly guessing the rift between mother and son; a son that effortlessly clung to his mother at every chance, that was her shadow. When she moved, he moved and the love between them was clear. Now to see such strife dissolving a once inseparable bond did more to him than he wanted to admit, and it was not a dissolution that he wished to dance about.

He couldn't just say that he doesn't hate her, that they were mother and son, through which no bond can't be totally broken. Those were words that she had heard before, and believed before, before he went back on everything and told her how he felt, when he allowed his anger to speak for him. Before, she trusted him to comfort her and now, now his silence was more appreciated.

The only apology that he could offer, that she could accept, was the slipping of his hand beneath hers. Palm to palm, match for match; more was said than words could have spoken.

X

Since their near wordless encounter, David had stowed away in the study while Regina kept Charlotte occupied with baking and sorts, knowing that her little girl loved to make pastries and lick the spoon or the bowl. Most times, her request to do so was met with a chuckle and a 'no' with a sidenote that it was terribly unsanitary but today, Charlotte got the spoon and happily helped her mother make her coveted turnovers.

Wearing her special apron, Charlotte watches in amazement as the pastry rises by the slightest fraction in the oven and squeals with joy when the timer dings on the oven. Cautioning her about the heat, Regina sets the pan down on the stovetop and fans a delicate hand over them in habit before shutting the oven.

Charlotte turned to her mother, feeling a sense of accomplishment for having been a helping hand. "Now we wait." Charlotte repeated what her mother usually said, beating her to the punch but ultimately widening the brunette's smile.

"Yes," she flicked her daughter's nose playfully, "..we wait."

She adjusted the bow on the side of Charlotte's head and the toddler gushed with big eyes before pointing to the counter before asking, "Can I sit up there?"

Regina scrunched her brows, pondering the request as Charlotte bounded over to the high counter with a smile. "Daddy lets me sit here and wait."

As much as she wanted to say no, with an achy back and a fear that Charlotte may hurt herself, she caved and bent to pick her up to lift her onto the counter but was stopped midair by a booming voice that startled both dark haired ravens.

"Regina, what are you doing?" Warding off the irritation she wanted to feel because of his tone, she turned to find him looking at her with furrowed brows and a stack of paper that he promptly dropped on the counter, opposite their position.

"Daddy, shhh." Charlotte pressed a hand to her mouth, hating when he raised his voice.

He hadn't intended to, it was just a knee jerk reaction to what he saw. "I'm sorry Charlie horse but Mommy," he walked around the bend to where Regina stood, eyeing him closely, "..shouldn't be," he bent down and put her on the counter, "lifting you."

"But why, Daddy?" She questioned, earning lifted brows from both brunette women in his life.

"Um, well, because the baby doesn't like it. And when he gets here, you don't want him to be upset do you?" Charlotte shook her head and Regina arched a brow, to which he smirked with the knowledge that he was handling it somewhat well.

"Does that mean I shouldn't lift stuff either? I don't want my baby to be upset..." She peered down at her flat, apron covered stomach and Regina snickered, turning her head so that she couldn't see her laugh.

"Charlotte sweetie..." His voice pitched, unprepared for her question as he shot a glare at his chuckling wife. "I told you there's no baby in there.."

"Well, how come mommy gets a baby and I don't?" David's mouth flapped open and he looked to Regina who turned her back and made her way to the apple turnovers.

"I think these are ready. Charlotte sweetie, why don't you go washup and get Mr. Bear so he can have the special one we made for him?" With some assistance from her father, she jumped from the counter and ran off in her little apron to leave her parents alone.

With a smile, he made his way over to her and moved to break a piece off of one of the turnovers, a gesture that earned him a quick slap to the hand. He hissed, leaning on the counter as she fanned over them with a square cloth.

"I thought you said they were ready..." He whined slightly, feeling his stomach grumble.

She reached for a knife from one of her drawers and began to cut a small piece from the one he reached for. "It was a small fib, told to get you out of the hot seat with a toddler." She popped the piece in her mouth and he stood agape with a smirk. "Don't want the baby to be upset."

"Glad to see you're feeling better..." He joked and watched as her chewing slowed and she remembered just what had brought her into a state warranting her to 'feel better'. He noticed the effect of his words and fell silent, his smile fading as hers did.

For a moment, they forgot; forgot everything. Nothing mattered and it was just three of them in that big house with nothing to do but read papers and bake apple turnovers. Reality was a cold harsh slap in the face that brought silence between them and cooled the pastries in front of them.

"What's this?" She deflected, looking at the stack of papers that he had set aside.

He walked up behind her as she took a glance at them, shrugging in response. "I just thought you'd like to take a look at them; two eyes are better than one."

She snorted lightly, eyeing the documents closely. "Yes dear, that's why we have two eyes."

"You know what I meant, smartass." Again, a stroke of familiarity that they craved, that was unintentional but not unwanted. It glossed over the anger, over the hurt and left them looking at each other awkwardly with DNA results sitting in front of them.

She looked away, avoiding the tug between them, "What's this?" She questioned, holding it up for him to see.

"Lab results." She straightened her back slowly and stared at him blankly, opting for a stare rather than replacing dumb with smart in the name he had chosen for her. "..The heart."

His tone changed slightly and she eyes him carefully, knowing that this was hard. It took a toll on him to work this case each day but he was determined to figure it out and for that, she couldn't fault him. In fact, his determination was something that she had loved about him.

Still loved about him.

"David.."

"Hmm?"

"Why did Sidney Glass request the results?" He scrunched his face and she slid the paper to him, pressing a manicured nail to the words that he had obviously mulled over. _Requested by_ _ **SIDNEY GLASS.**_

"I don't know, he is an Editor for the Daily Mirror; maybe he wanted an inside scoop." He shrugged and looked over the paper once more before meeting her eyes.

She aligned her posture in thought, not connecting the dots. "But how would he know that there was an inside scoop if no one but you, Emma, Ruby and I knew about the heart?"

"And Albert Spencer."

At the mention, aggravating pangs in her back that had plagued her since the morning intensified as if his name had some sort of power over her. The man was a threat, a horrible being with nothing more than vengeance in his path and blood in his eyes. She knew that look, she lived that look; and seeing it in someone who had eyes for her put a tinge of fear in her mind.

Though she wouldn't admit it.

He is unsure of what their boundaries are, of the privileges he has that seem to be conditional. They can laugh one minute and awkwardly stare at each other the next. They talk but their contact is limited. Where they stand is unknown since they have yet to truly have the conversation that's keeping a fence between them but in the meantime, he is unsure of what he is allowed to do.

For a moment, he disregards the rules and the boundaries and moves closer to her as she avoids locking eyes with him. With a soft fist, he presses into her back and gently massages the side has been her problem area for as long as he could remember. Though she would rarely say anything, he knew her and the mention of Spencer only added fuel to a blazing fire.

She stiffened lightly at his touch and he reached over her with one hand on her back and the other on the document. "Ignore me." He says, lifting the document as if he weren't doing exactly what he were doing and despite the fight in her, despite the broiled emotions that want to lash out, she does just as he asks and relishes in the feeling of relief provided by an 'invisible hand'.

"However, I did tell you not to pick up Charlotte."

"I'm ignoring you." She rolled her eyes and looked over the rest of the evidence, the photo of the carving knife, the photo of the heart. "Maybe you should look over the evidence again to make sure you didn't miss anything."

"Regina, I've been going over the evidence for days," he spoke with a hand still rubbing at her side.

"And yet you missed what it took me seconds to find." She huffed and took the sprawled papers into her hands to set them into a neater pile, hitting them against the counter until they lined up to her satisfaction. She turned to face him and his hand left her body, something that she didn't think she'd miss until it was gone. "Just double check."

"Fine, but while I'm double checking, why don't you..." He paused, knowing that he was getting ahead of himself. She told him to stop telling her what to do and this was more of a suggestion, so did it count? He wondered if she would receive him or roll her eyes and walk away like she normally did.

"Why don't I, what?"

"Take a bubble bath...It relaxes your muscles-OR a hot shower!" The last part was said with a bit more excitement then he intended, leaving him to clear his throat and look away. "Ignore me."

To his surprise, she smiled and the light reached her eyes. Before, they were barely real and now, they reached her eyes. "I will."

Charlotte came running back with Mr. Bear dragging behind her and David blew raspberries on her cheek as she passed, leaving the two apron-clad brunettes to their own devices. He started to walk away, watching from a far as the two interacted and the resemblance was uncanny between the two of them; only the thoughts brought him back to his fight with Emma, to her accusation. And he couldn't help but wonder if he really did choose.

X

After putting the leftover turnovers away for later, putting Charlotte down for her nap and cleaning up the mess left in the kitchen, Regina Mills was tuckered out and sore, something she would rarely admit. Her first pregnancy seemed so much easier; less aches, less pains. Sometimes the smallest tasks seemed daunting and she wondered if it was the stress. In comparison, life was a one compared to the ten she was living now, surrounded by breaking curses and murderous monarchs and not to mention the issues between her and David.

Though she wouldn't accuse him of that or even mention their arguments as being a part of her issues physically, he felt guilty already and for some reason, she didn't want to add to his burden. Being in a house together, living together, seeing each other, talking to each other, it was cooling her anger and healing her hurt.

Rather than being allowed to run away in opposite corners, they had to deal with each other and their anger couldn't stew while they mulled over their emotions. There was no allowance for hate to fester; there was pressure put on them by this house, by the memories it held and something was bound to happen because of it.

It was as if nothing had happened, after all that was said, all that was done, all that transpired, it astounded her that they could still have moments where it felt as though nothing had happened. It made her wonder if their pain was inflated, if the constant denial of their love only filled them with hot air and now they were compressed in the house together, they found some of their issues to be nothing more than that.

Just hot air.

Of course, most of their feelings were valid and many things that had transpired were hurtful but their ability to make their way back to each other was underestimated. There were many questions to be asked, and many things to be dealt with but some things seemed to be working itself out.

One of them being the ability to forgive the other.

Walking into the bedroom that they once shared, she was resolved to take a short nap before the light in the bathroom caught her attention. With slow and uncaring steps, she guessed it had been left on by her. But telling by the abundance of bubbles sitting in the tub and the note sitting on her favorite plush towel, it was just a clue to her surprise.

_Ignore me_

Is what the note said, what it requested; it told her to ignore his gestures and his attempts as though they weren't supposed to melt her heart despite the cold front already there. She could ignore him just as much as he could ignore his worry over her picking up Charlotte. She could ignore him just as much as he could ignore her being in pain. She could ignore him just as much as he could ignore her and that wasn't much.

After obliging him and taking a lavender bubble bath, she had to admit that the aches were soothed and she was much more relaxed. Stepping out of the bath with a tad bit of difficulty, little droplets of water fell unceremoniously down to the floor reminding her to be extra careful of her footing. She hums as she wraps herself in the towel that he laid out for her, a luxurious cloth that was the icing on the cake.

After drying off she heads to the closet but is struck still by the full length mirror in her view. She hadn't given much to her form, too absorbed in the everyday drama and the exhaustion that plagued her. Ignorance hasn't been bliss in that aspect and she was missing out, she was missing the small things, the details. The way her stomach's blossomed, the fact that she's carrying high rather than low. She can still see her toes beyond her growing bump but she kept mindful that that may soon be changing. Looking in the full length mirror, she smoothed the thinned part of the towel over herself and watch the curve that formed below the tips of her fingers. A love tap beneath her palm let her know that she was not the only one enjoying the moment and a teary laugh escaped her. With all that had happened only now was she able to do this; to look at herself in the mirror and admire the life growing inside of her.

Had she stood there any longer, she wasn't sure she'd move, too enamored with the little boy that she'd be privileged to meet in a few months. After dressing down in comparison to her earlier outfit, she laid on her back with her leggings on and a camisole that she later planned on covering with a looser top. In that moment, she just wanted to enjoy her bump and the perks that came with it.

One of them being something that used to be her favorite thing to do when she was pregnant with Charlotte and now that she had some time to herself, she took the chance. With her feet stretched out in front her, her body slightly dipping into the pillows behind her, she applied the cream on her stomach in slow rhythmic circles.

Her mind fell into familiarity once more and she thought of when this activity was once shared with her husband. He jumped at any chance to be with her and experience everything together. Her first and his first. Busy in her thoughts she didn't realize that the door had creaked open and there stood the man that she used to share this moment with. Still at a loss for his pager, he had searched Charlotte's room while she slept and came up empty. Now he was in their bedroom, what used to be 'their' bedroom and all moves he wished to make stopped at the sight.

Just as she had, he didn't notice the details. She was growing out her hair and it fell past her shoulders by about an inch, shaping her face and curling naturally from the mist of the bath. It was a soft curl but it nonetheless added to her appearance. She just looked peaceful, spending time with the unborn son they were sure to be proud of one day. She was small of frame so her bump wasn't that big but it was there and prevalent, only adding to her beauty.

Once again, privileges and boundaries; he wasn't sure. He found himself sitting on the edge of the bed beside her legs, announcing his presence. Her eyes widened by just the fraction, tensing as he paused in front of her.

She wasn't sure if she wanted this intimacy with him again, if she trusted him enough. The thought alone made her uneasy but the look in his eyes involuntarily calmed her. His eyes met her eyes and the memories were taunting, they were teasing.

_Lacing her fingers atop her chest, she hummed with pleasure at the cool sensation of David's touch and the cream he was applying. He straddled her legs, slightly leaning over as his hands smoothed over her swollen belly and his breath lingered near navel area causing shivers to run up her spine. A strong kick met his gentle hand and he looked up at her from the movement he felt. He grinned, tracing a tiny stretch mark, "Here's one...and another...and another.."_

_"David.. I don't see anything.."_

_"Course you don't, you're round and big.." Eyes widening playfully at her. She tried to pull a face but it just left her looking angry. Chuckling at her expression he leans over with his hands on either side of her head and presses a gentle kiss to her lips. "I love you."_

He leaned forward and dipped his finger in the cream she was applying, taking his eyes from her eyes. "You don't have to-" Her protests fell silent when his palm smoothed against her stomach, gently making the same circles that she had.

"You missed a spot..." He looked up at her, already knowing what was going through her head, the anxiety she was feeling. He was stroking a bomb and he was well aware; she didn't trust him.

She was fighting a battle, would she say something or would she let him be, she would relax or maintain the stiffness that wracked her muscles. He took his hands and thumbed her sides, massaging the sore muscles that pained her but she never had to say anything, he always knew.

It was becoming harder and harder not to fall back into routine, into what was comfortable. And if he kept doing things like running her baths, massaging her back, making her laugh or rubbing cream on her stomach, it would be damned near impossible. "Does that feel better?" He asked softly, satisfied when she nodded sheepishly. He met her eyes, pausing his movements so that she heard nothing but the truth of his statement. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Emotionally, physically? She wondered but knew what he meant, only stalling the inevitable realization that their hearts may be broken, but the bond between them never would be.

He made her laugh for a reason; he was able to run her baths without much protest for a reason; he was able to massage her back and rub her stomach for a reason that she hadn't figured out until now. They were fine earlier and they were still fine, only now there were no laughs or sarcasm to hide behind.

"Can I ask you a question?" She started to sit up so that they could be on equal footing but the hand on her leg stopped her from moving. He didn't want her to move from the comfortable position that she was in to accommodate him so he swiftly kicked his shoes up and climbed beside her awkwardly. It had been a while since he's done that; climb around her let alone lie beside her.

She turned slightly on her side and he propped his head up to look at her, not too close but not too far. That's where they were at in their relationship; not too close but not too far. It allowed for questions like the won he was about to ask her.

"When did it stop being about Snow and start being about us?" It was the question that had been nagging at him for months. It was the question that kept him from going to her when he wanted to and made him go to her when he didn't. It was the question that decided so much in the last few months without even having an answer to complete it.

_Today was her wedding day and she couldn't even look in the mirror. In the months leading up to the wedding, with her doubts, her fears and her feelings of wanted to back out she lost sight of rubbing it in Snow White's face, of exacting her revenge on a woman that had no clue as to why. She fell in love but she wasn't supposed to and now she doesn't want to accept what her heart had taken in long ago._

_Her simple wedding dress says what she feels. She has lost the celebratory aspect that she had long thought she would grasp onto and opted for something simple and elegant. This was supposed to be a day of triumph, of victory and all she could feel was disgust pitting at the bottom of her stomach. The last time she was in a wedding dress was a part of a grand scheme of things; a man to an end and with that though she almost felt like her mother. Only this time, she put herself in this situation, in this church, in this big white dress with ring waiting to tie her to someone else._

_The whole day was nostalgia and she was determined to make it not so. She had grown out hair for this occasion, just so that soft curls could replace the expected chignon. Any up do was nothing more than a painful memory of what she was made to wear, the crown that was made to sit atop of her head with the weight of her loss resting atop her._

_It didn't feel good the first time and it doesn't feel good now. It felt constricting and rather than wear a lavish dress, she opted out of wearing gaud to avoid the truth of what she knows, the memories of what she knew._

_Everything is too familiar._

_This was supposed to be about seeing the sappy schoolteacher crumble; she hand delivered the invitation for God sakes. Something was in her heart, it was stopping her from relishing in the final stages of her plan, in the manifestation of this curse that she cast._

_This was the whole point, to see Snow suffer! But standing in a tight white dress that she could barely breath in, it was her that was suffering. Something had happened between the vision of her vengeance and the realization that changed everything. And now she couldn't just go through with it._

_Before she could change her mind, she was bolting out of her bride's suite and into the hallway. As fast as 5 inch white heels could take her, she was speed walking, even passing the groom's room on the way. She was almost free in the clear just as she had been when she attempted to run during her first wedding._

_Someone was always in the way._

_"Regina whatever the hell your middle name is Mills, what do you think you're doing?" Ruby stood in her black bridesmaids' dress that was floor length and clung to her body only to fan out around her calves. It was mildly sexy and her red lips helped her case, never mind the sweetheart neckline. The Mayor's only request was that she kept her hair tamed and classy._

_"Are you about to run? Because I spent 2 paychecks on this damn dress and I can't even turn it into a cocktail dress thanks to you so it better gets put to use." The brunette stood speechless. Her eyes began to fill and she looked away, she didn't want to cry in front of a wolf, someone who wouldn't even know what her tears meant._

_"Oh," Ruby whispered, realizing that her guess was actually right. "Oh man, I-I, you can't do this to him Regina." She looked up, seeing her eyes morph from sympathy to determination. "How am I supposed to win the bet with Kathryn over whose gonna be the godmother if you guys don't have any pretty babies?"_

_The Mayor let out a light laugh, hearing a sentiment that brought smiles to both of their faces. "Talk to him if you need to but don't run," she shook her head, moving a hair that was out of place on her head. "...it'll break him." She smiled sheepishly, hoping one day that she could find a man like David to care like he did for Regina. "He loves you."_

_The words struck her cold. He loved her. He really, really loved her. And the sentiment she didn't want to accept was simple._

_She loved him too._

_With quick footsteps she turned around to go to the groom's room, to talk to him. She didn't know what would come of it, maybe she'd tell him the truth even, just come out with it. Without even bothering to knock, she just opened the door and Graham jumped up with a laugh, covering the groom's eyes._

_"I..I need to talk to you." She was lacking her usually strength and in front of Graham and Whale, she almost felt naked doing so._

_"No can do, Madam Mayor-it's baaaad luck!" Graham exclaimed and Whale nearly fell out his chair with laughs._

_"Cut it out, Graham." David attempted to see past his friend's block but the man just kept covering his eyes._

_"Are you drunk?" Regina questioned incredulously, her tone taking a dangerous tone as the room fell quiet of laughs and giggles. She eyed both men, stifling their giggles like children and spoke as though she were the Queen and they were her minions. "IF the two are you are not out of this room by the count of ten you will not have a wedding to be a part of, you will not have a job to go back to and you will not have a throat because I will have ripped it from your neck because you keep laughing like school girls." Her eyes met the unshaven Sheriff and his eyes widened with fear, near terror when she leaned into him with one simple word. "...nine."_

_Graham scurried off after Dr. Whale who was right in front of them, leaving David who sat in a recliner at the back of the room with his bow tie undone and hanging around his neck. "Regina-"_

_"I'm trying not to cry." She announced, looking his eyes sternly. "I don't want to cry and Ms. Lucas did my makeup, I wanted to do my makeup but she and Kathryn wouldn't shut up and now I can't cry because she_ _did_ _all these things to my eyes and these curls won't last long, I know they won't_ _!. B_ _y the time I walk down the aisle, if I_ _even make it_ _down the aisle_ _,_ _my hair will be straight and I'll look crazy and this dress is so tight..." Her voice broke under the pressure of what he knew and what he didn't know. For her makeup, there was a curse, for her hair there was guilt and for her dress, there was love that she didn't want to accept. "I can't breathe."_

_She shook her head as she fanned her eyes, not wanting her makeup to run but also not being able to contain the tears from spilling. She couldn't help it, she couldn't help any of it. She couldn't breathe because her dress was so tight and she was drowning in a sea of secrets. She could swim in it but she was drowning because she was keeping a secret from herself that was doubling her heart and the weight in her chest._

_"Where's Henry?" She looked around the room for her little boy, realizing that he was supposed to be with the men._

_David stood with a smile, grinning as he approached her. "He's with Kathryn; she's reminding him not to put the rings in his mouth." He got a small laugh out of her and thumbed away the clear tear on her cheek before kissing her lips, assuring her of everything she didn't know. "You are so beautiful..." This was what made the difference. "Your makeup is perfect," he kissed her temple above her eyes, "your hair is perfect," he pressed another soft kiss to the loose bed of curls, "your dress is perfect," he met her eyes and reassured her of things he didn't even know were on her mind, "you are perfect."_

_They say that it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding but it was the best thing that could have happened to them. Without a single thought to Snow or vengeance or past lives, she knew that she loved him. When he kissed her lips before they even said 'I do', she knew._

Recounting the memory, a solemn tear ran down her cheek but it didn't go unnoticed. Just as quickly as it had been seen, was it kissed away by someone who wanted nothing for all the pain to go away, for both of them. She turned to him with red eyes and raw truth; the dam was finally breaking. "When I let myself love you, nothing else mattered." Vengeance just became a stepping stone to her happiness. "You gave back to me everything that had been taken away. And when I accepted that, it was in your dressing room before the wedding. Everything after was just you and me."

She shook her head as she turned to look at the ceiling, unable to face his blue eyes for every word that spilled from her mouth. "From that point on, everything was real; I really loved you and I only started to hate you when you told me that I didn't..." She looked back at him and he knew exactly what she meant. When she loves, she loves hard and she gives all of herself until there is nothing left but the overflow. It was a slap in the face to be told that all of herself was not enough. "I didn't think you loved me like you had been claiming all these years."

He didn't know that he had made her feel this way, that he had brought this doubt upon her. He knew that he hurt her because at the time it was his intention but he never stopped loving her. He was most upset BECAUSE he loved her so much. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to hold her in his arms, than to reclaim what they had lost, what she had foolishly toyed with and he had foolishly thrown away.

Without the hesitation that he had all day, without thinking about privileges or boundaries, he scooted close to her and wrapped his arm around her middle, pulling her closer. If she didn't know that she was enough, he was going to tell her, he was going to make sure that she knew, "I do love you," he didn't know of the tears streaming down her face, "..much more than I can handle." Nor did she know of his.

"Do you regret this?" This is her question, her dam that's been broken. Were their lives a mistake to him? Their love? The products of their love?

His fingers ran up and down the swell of her stomach, absently tracing its curve as he spoke, both of their eyes averting towards the ceiling. "I couldn't regret our time together, even if I wanted to." He laughed into her curls, thinking of their life, of five years of laughs and love and ups and downs. "It was perfect."

He confirmed what she needed to know and cast down her fears. She sat up without his assistance and he thought maybe that she was asking him to leave. With a glance over her shoulder, she saw his position and leaned to the side so that when she laid back down, she fell into the crooks and curves of his body. It was the intimacy she had wanted, the intimacy she had feared.

"The day I let myself love you, was the best decision I ever made." Unlike the Mayor, she adds a punchline and lightens the moment. "...in both of my lifetimes."

He laughs until it dies down, until he can put the bow on the present he needs to give her, to give her closure, he says what she's been waiting for. "I know you can't forget what I've said, but I hope in time you can forgive me."

She lifts her head from his chest and brown meets blue, "Only if you'll do the same with me." And his response is one that she didn't expect.

"I already have."

They don't kiss, no they're not there yet. That day was a day of emotional healing, of looking at scars and questioning why they were there, of looking at each other and asking why they were scarred in the first place. In that moment, all he needs is to feel her in his arms, to know that it is real and all she needs is to feel his arms around her, to know that he'll be there.

Even if he wasn't before.

Eventually, she fell prey to the sleep that had been waiting to take her and he didn't dare move. She would not wake up with him gone, with him not there for her; not again. Too many times had she opened her eyes to feel a loss of security and a sense of abandonment.

She slept in peace, for the first time in months she slept in peace. Her dreams were always filled with thoughts but without peace, they were jumbled words and pictures she couldn't put together. However, this proved to be a different story.

She jolted forward and out of his embrace, near flailing as she reached for David's shirt to shake him awake. He hadn't fell asleep, only closing his eyes as she slept. When she moved so suddenly, his eyes snapped open and he was completely alert, eyes wide with worry. "Regina, what's wrong, what is it?" His hands immediately found the curve that he had been following earlier but that wasn't it, that wasn't the issue.

She spoke hurriedly, hands shaking at the realization of everything piecing together in her mind. She gripped his shirt, the nearest thing to hold onto to ground herself so that she could calm down to speak. "He used my skeleton keys, that's how he got in the house," she nodded, assuring herself of the theory, "...probably when Charlotte was in the hospital, no one was home and everybody knew what happened." Her eyes widened the more she thought about it and she turned to look at David, shock written in her features. "And his name was on the report because he wanted to make sure that it showed a match but it, it wasn't. David, he used my keys to go into my vault, he-he used one of my hearts."

"What hearts?" He exclaimed, not knowing of any vaults.

"Not the point, David!" She scolded, looking at him with hopeful eyes as she sat up further. "She isn't dead David, the heart's not hers." He sat up too, eyes just as wide as hers. "He's with Albert, he-he helped him."

Her breathing was sporadic and she was certainly excited, startled by the piecing together of the puzzle. His hand rubbed soothingly at the top of her back as he tried to break down what was saying. "Who are you talking about, who is 'he'?"

"Sidney."

It was too crazy to believe and the evidence, the story was too perfect not to check out. It was a whirlwind that hit the both of them and they could waste no time checking out the story. With Charlotte dropped off at Kathryn's house, the pair was off to City Hall. If her skeleton keys were missing then maybe, just maybe, Regina was on to something.

The day has wound down and darkness is beginning to set in. With that being known, David is weary of Regina coming in with him without knowing what they were going to find. Hopefully just some keys, or really no keys at all. The hallway is quiet and dimmed heavily as they tip toe alongside one another. David can't help the hand that juts out when they come upon the Mayor's office and find the door to be open. He looks back at Regina and the look she gives him is telling that she's not going back to the car, not now.

With the faint view of a flashlight, David moves closer and eyes his wife who stands behind him. With one hand on his holster and the other keeping Regina behind him, his foot juts out and kicks the door, startling whoever is inside. With a dim light, Regina steps into view as David points his pistol at the red-handed intruder. He drops his flashlight in fear and the light circles the room, highlighting the Mayor, the Sheriff and the man standing behind her desk with her skeleton keys in hand.

"Sidney, hands in the air! NOW!"


	15. Kaleidoscope

The keys that had literally been 'the key' to it all clattered to the floor in a punctuated silence. No one could speak, shocked by the experience they were forced to bare witness to. Surprise, betrayal and bewilderment; they lurked in the air, strangling each body in reach. As David stepped forward his extended arm became more of a testament to what he wished for her to do rather than a physical baring to keep her from doing what he wished least for her to do. She stood in the doorway, eyes trained on a man that wilted at her stare, melting at her gaze; but with the penetrative look he was receiving, all past experiences hibernated and he was stone stuck to the floor as he was caught red-handed.

"Don't move." The active Sheriff instructed, slowly making his way to the keys that had met the floor upon their arrival. He bent and for a second, just a second, he turned away and the journalist's opportunity was golden. Hearing hurried footsteps, he immediately looked up and pointed his gun at the scurrying man only to find that his advancement had been blocked by the woman he had framed, the woman he had scorned.

A fire scoured her insides, wanting nothing more than to feel the veins in his neck flare against her palm as he struggled for breath, feeling her fingers tighten around his throat. Wants and desires took a backseat to what was the pressing issue at hand and she knew that, he knew she knew that, but he nevertheless made his approach quick to cuff Sidney.

Giving the man a nudge in the back, he ushered him out of the Mayor's office, only briefly meeting the eyes of the woman he came with. Just when he didn't hear the third set of feet did he turn around to see her still hanging in the archway of her office, caught up in a picture that never seemed to fade.

"Regina?" More than a call, but a check of sorts. Was she all there? Could she handle this or was she teetering on the edge of using a magic that no longer existed?

"...in a minute." She whispered softly, disappearing behind the columns she once stood beside. With a side glance and a journalist peeking around his shoulder to get a better look, he kept moving. But of course, with another nudge.

She padded against the marble floor, shivering at the echo rather than reveling in it. The hubris of her office seemed to be stolen and with it, replaced by a darkness that was not her own; her office was not her own. Perhaps it was the violation that struck her; privacy being something that she had been stripped of mercilessly time and time again, unable to deny it's oppression.

It turned her stomach, knowing that her office looked relatively undisturbed, that the code had been obviously entered and she could have gone countless times without knowledge of a second party being privy to a place of her dwelling.

He left something behind, a black duffel bag that he could be seen carrying around anytime he'd written a story that made the front cover. Proud of his work, dozens would fill the bag that he would tote around in pride, handing one out to all who went without. The abandoned bag lay crumpled on the floor, shameful rather that prideful. Knowing that it was probably best to call David, she ignored the voice that irked her and balanced a hand on her desk as she leaned forward to pick up the shamed carrier.

With a light wince, she stood up straight and placed the bag on her desk before she went to town, rifling though it's contents only to find wires for which a purpose was unknown to her and papers that she knew could hold some meaning but at this point, she was just rummaging. Looking, discarding and finding, finding something that she didn't want to find. It was small and black with tiny white hearts that decorated it's frame. It could often be seen clipped at the end of a fishtail braid or pinning back a bang of dark hair; a bow.

Charlotte's bow.

Outside the Sheriff's body hung stiffly against the open car door, purposely making Sidney uncomfortable. There was silence but the air was filled with a penetrative stare that seemed go from man to man, genie to prince. He's sweating, clear beads materializing on his forehead only to run down his face and dampen his collar. He's in handcuffs so the beads sting his eyes and the prince stares, blankly and monotonously, he stares.

"Tell me Sidney," he stood cockily, "since you're such an _excellent_ journalist." His voice dripped with an unappreciated sarcasm that was lost on the man until he looked up to find a scowl instead of a smile. "..there any truth to you having the hots for my wife?"

With limited movement, his head inclined to meet the man that addressed him and with a familiar grimace, his shoulders rose and fell. "I," the beginning of the lie, "...don't know what you're talking about," the truth of the lie.

"Oh come off it Sidney, I've seen the way you look at her," an arm casually draped over the frame of the door and Sidney's expression never changed, his mouth slightly open to reveal a darkness as his eyes made clear just how absent he was. Caught in the act, he no longer had anything to be strung out about.

"You've seen the way I look at her," he swallowed thickly, eyes traveling ahead of him to the dark doors of the Sheriff's office. "You don't know how I care for her, how I've protected her..." his head shook gently, "...everything I've done has been for her benefit."

"Sidney-"

"She would have killed herself." His voice trembled with a victorious edge, sinister in it's cause. The pride that sprung from him was inappropriate at best, boasting for having stopped her from taking the venom of a snake destined to be his downfall. "The Queen and I have been through far too much for it to be trivialized by your flickering 'union'." His brow lifted, emptily glancing ahead, "..or have you already forgotten your...true..love."

A cryptic moment had David shifting from side to side, squinting to process what was told to him, hitting his mind in a whirlwind too fast to comprehend. "Do you..." he stepped back from the cruiser, "...you remember, don't you?"

Silence hung in the air, the only response being the slight widening of the journalist's eyes as he refused to meet his eyes. Although, what he didn't know at the time was that they weren't in response to him, it had nothing to do with him. None of this truly had much to do with him, but with the women in his life. He was just inevitably caught in the crossfire.

Literally.

So when his peripheral view caught wind of the mass of rage approaching them he was once again in that position. Not relative to her size, but the presence that proceeded her and the stomps that echoed her, that announced that she was coming whether those who were to receive her were ready or not. Her hand bound tightly around the straps of a duffel bag that David only seemed to recognize from Sidney's faux paper route.

"Wait, wait-" He threw his hands out and she moved to go on the other side of the car, determined to get to the doe eyed journalists without interruption. David successfully tugged at her arm and pulled her to a halt, holding gently to her forearm. "What's wrong? What's this?" He pointed to the bag and she ran a shaky hand through her hair, uncaring to the state.

It fell back into place and she exhaled and looked away as she scorned under her breath. "Dammit," she cursed, feeling his hand grip her shoulder.

"I don't want you in the car with him." She turned back to look at him, curiosity written in her features. "I'd rather follow you in your car with the cruiser, I just don't trust him."

She nodded silently, allowing his words to resonate. Fine, he didn't want her in the car because he wanted a one on one with Sidney. "I suggest you take a look in his bag first."

Turning to walk away, he placed a chaste kiss on her cheek to which she paid no mind. Seeing her safely in her car, he bent down and picked up the discarded duffel bag. Inside, he found what Regina found, papers, wires and the miscellaneous. And then he found what Regina didn't find, what she didn't feel.

A compartment.

Bows, blue bows, black bows, red bows, striped bows, polka dot bows, a pink bow that he had seen himself mere days before. She had only found the black and white hearted bow, not this, not this sick stash. That man had been in his house not once, not twice and not even three times. He had crossed the line and approaching the cruiser, David intended to cross that line too.

X

"Did you call Kathryn?" Sidney was inside the interrogation room and David and Regina stood in his office, looking through the black duffel bag that had them both up in arms.

She nodded silently, crossing her arms over her chest. "I also called Emma." He looked up, hands moving to piece together the varied wires and cords. "This is going to get messy. And though you two had a fight, she..." the dark haired Mayor looked off, mustering up her humility, "...she's your daughter. And I may not be able to help you in ways that she can."

He connected the last of the wires and pressed a USB cord to his computer, moving the mouse when it chimed so that a play button appeared. "I doubt she'll show up." Seeming to know the opposite of destiny, the glass doors to the Sheriff's station swung open in the night air and a blonde ponytail swung behind the approaching figure.

"Why the hell is it so dark in here?" She wondered aloud, moving to flip on some switches, illuminating the entire room rather than just the Sheriff's office. She walked to the office and pushed open the door. Blue to blue, she looked at him briefly before averting her eyes to the most unlikely of people, Regina. "Was this in his bag?" She inquired, picking at the wires before rounding the desk and looking at his computer to see that he was yet to press play.

Regina looked to David who shrugged, obviously still a bit burned aboiut their disagreement. Her eyes bulged in his direction and he rolled his eyes to which she raised a brow, daring him to go any further. He huffed and bent over the desk with his former co-Sheriff, "..thinking it might be a phone tap or something that'll connect him to the disappearance," he mumbled moving his finger over the mouse so that a rattle came over the speakers and a recording began to play.

The muffled cries filled the small room, from weeping to sobs that ripped from an untold chest, but a broken heart no less. He, however knew that cry, and peered up at his wife to find her shifting from side to side, uncharacteristically uncomfortable. He flitted over the mouse and his cheeks flushed a bright red at what the fast-forwarding had brough him to. The moans and groans were personal and a violation of their privacy, an open ticket to the happenings of their bedroom.

No one needed to explain the sounds coming from the speakers and no one was left without red cheeks, Emma barely able to stand what she was hearing either.

He touched the mouse again.

_"What THE HELL is wrong with you? Have you-Have you lost your mind?"_

_"YES! I have lost my damn mind because you keep PLAYING GAMES-"_

_"Oh-Oh I'm playing games-"_

_"What do you call sleeping with me and then ducking out before I wake up without so much as a note-What-What is that-"_

_"What is cursing me and forcing me to marry you-Having my kids as some type of endgame-"_

_"Oh it comes back to that-"_

_"YES, IT COMES BACK TO THAT! I'm confused-I don't know what I want-"_

_"WELL FIGURE IT OUT-But don't tell me that you want me if you don't-"_

_"I AM CONFUSED-_

_"YOU KEEP SAYING THAT!"_

David scrolled the capped bar to the end of the recording, seeking the extent of what Sidney was able to get, as if what he had collected wasn't a bombshell already.

_"Regina, what's wrong, what is it?"_

_"He used my skeleton keys, that's how he got in the house...probably when Charlotte was in the hospital, no one was home and everybody knew what happened. And his name was on the report because he wanted to make sure that it showed a match but it, it wasn't. David, he used my keys to go into my vault, he-he used one of my hearts."_

_"What hearts?"_

_"Not the point, David! She isn't dead David, the heart's not hers. He's with Albert, he-he helped him."_

_"Who are you talking about, who is 'he'?"_

_"Sidney."_

Regina braced herself on the wall behind her, knowing that there had to be more, he seemed to have their whole home on audio surveillance. Their bedroom, their living room, their foyer, God forbid Charlotte's room. She didnt know whether it was the atmosphere or her blood boiling beneath her skin, but it felt hotter than it had seconds before. Her cheeks were flushed, paler than either of the 'Charmings' and the only thing keeping her upright as her head spun was the wall behind her.

She didn't know what he had heard, how long he had been listening to her go on about her miserable life. How many times he'd heard them scream at each other or heard her cry into her pillow; he knew too much. It seemed as though, no matter where she was, how she'd tried to change, someone is always out there plotting a vendetta against her. Grudging on her. Using her. Hurting her.

She was trying to change, trying to maintain her anger, trying to keep it together; but she was reaching the brink of what she could withstand. Someone else, one more person in this world had taken it upon themselves to violate her privacy, to deem her unfit to secure such a basic human right. Once again, she was not a person, and she didn't deserve to be treated like one.

He had placed a knife under her child's bed for God's sakes; what if Charlotte had found it before Emma? He had obviously been in her room multiple times, collecting the signature bows that she had been too preoccupied to even know were missing. She felt that she had failed, that she had been to caught up in a man that wasn't even hers to protect a daughter that was. She was too caught up in the drama to catch her own privacy from slipping through her fingers.

The door swings open and they are fast on her heels, trying to catch her before she bounds into the interrogation room. The frightened journalist jumps, inching back when he sees that her appearance is not poised to be friendly. He knows that look, he knows the anger that comes with that look and he can't afford to have her feeling that way about him, not now, not after everything he had done.

"Please M-Madam Mayor, your majesty-"

"Shut. Up." She silences his mindless pleas and the confusion on his face is shocking.

"But I-I did this for you. For years I couldn't, stuck behind the mirrors-" He reveals that he indeed does have recollections of his past life but she doesn't even flinch at his words, too focused on the magnitude of his betrayal.

Her head shook with a venomous tone. "You've done nothing to help me-"

"I got rid of her!" His eyes lit up with a sick excitement at his accomplishments, at what he'd done for her. He lifted from the seat briefly and the door behind them creaked open and Regina lifted her head, knowing that it was David's way of warning her.

If things got too heated, he'd pull her out.

"I've done more for you than he has, all he's done is hurt you!"

He spoke as if he was the third wheel in their marriage, and really he kind of was; privy to the privacy and security of their home. "I heard you cry yourself to sleep when he left your majesty; he slept with you and left the next morning-he doesn't love you!"

"Silence!" He literally had royally pissed her off, forcing her to revert back to her days of the court and give him a response that only insolence could evoke.

"I'd never hurt you like that." He mumbled softly, looking at the floor pitifully.

She opened her mouth to retort, perhaps tell him that he knew nothing of what had gone on in their home but that would be wrong. It was a slap in the face, a cold harsh slap of reality that she had forgotten was waiting for her. In the face of forgiving each other, she was letting go of all that he said, all that he did and all that he accused her of, and he was doing the same. It was hard but doable.

His words almost made her feel like a fool. Were the wounds too deep to be healed? Was she just playing herself, falling asleep in the arms of a man that was possibly hours away from finding his real wife?

Once again; two steps forward, three steps back.

She turned her back to him because on the inside she was panicking, feeling a loss of control. The last time she felt this angry, this tangibly enraged, she had magic to wield and a curse to cast. She was powerless now, weak even.

It was scaring the hell out of her.

It dawned on her that she, perhaps, had been powerless for months and was just realizing the extent. She was a Queen without power and yet sat in her throne, just now feeling the emptiness, the lack of knowledge. She couldn't grasp the feeling of not being control of her own self, of not having control over the situation, of feeling like she was reaching for something she couldn't obtain.

Needing an out, she rounded the door and found the one person that she really didn't want to see but truly needed to see waiting for her, his eyes meeting hers with a knowing stare. They told him more than her silence and he was well aware of the doubt coursing through her. He hadn't dealt with this side of her though, this anger, this level of rage. This was nearing pre-Storybrooke territory and for that, he hadn't the need to know how to calm her, how to deal with her.

His boots scratched against the floor and she jumped a fraction, too entranced in her thoughts to consider that he would be near her. The door closed with a permeating thud and her hands remained clenched by her sides, unable to unravel. Her breath remained heavy, unable to stabilize. Her eyes remained doubtful, unable to trust him. He reached for the hands that balled at her sides and his fingers dug between her own and her palm, prying them open forcefully. She fought him at first, shuddering at his ability to bring her from eighty to zero. Palm against palm, he reassured the doubt that she needn't vocalize. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Emma's feet shuffled in the background, reminding them that they weren't alone and she pulled her hands away, resting them on his chest, feeling his quickened heartbeat. He too was angry and even more so nervous at what she was capable of and she could _only_ wonder what she was still capable of, what a Queen without power could still muster.

What exactly was left of her?

His thumb brushed over her wedding ring, drawing her attention to it. Bringing his voice down to a whisper, because she was the only one that needed to hear him out, he told her "I'm not going to hurt you." She glanced down, too uncomfortable to look into his eyes, "I promised you."

She shook her head softly, not telling of what her gestures meant. She didn't want to talk, she didn't want to speak. She was saving all of her words for Sidney, for the one who had exposed her doubt, the one who had exposed her completely. She'd rather witness his downfall and deal with her emotions later; rejoice in vengeance than stir in sadness.

That was what was left of her.

The need to see those who wronged her, wronged themselves. Perhaps he had an inkling of this, for when she pushed her hands from her chest, he didn't pull her back to him. He just stood back and watched as she reentered the interrogation room, to finish the job.

Somberly, Regina took a seat across from him, unlike moments before when she displayed he clear dominance by hovering above him. Her eyes began to shine and she turned away, feeling Sidney's hand hesitantly creep across the table with guilt at having caused her any pain."I didn't mean to upset you," he attempted to catch her eye, "I just I hate the way he treats you. You deserve better." He was ernest in his defense, waiting on baited breath for her response.

She shrugged dejectedly, allowing the tears to run down her face in a display of emotion that the genie hadn't seen for decades. "It's not you Sidney it's me," she sniffled, finally looking at him with her red-stained eyes, "..you were right, I'm not happy, I haven't been for a long time."

"I knew it!" He whispered shaking his head knowingly as his fingers moved closer and closer towards her own.

"I just had to thank you.." Regina gave him a small smile and he smiled a bit too, thinking that he had pleased her. "That...schoolteacher was just causing me so many problems and she, she just had to go..." She recollected him calling her by her title and decided to go for the wild card. "Like father like daughter."

His smile began to fall as he paused, looking at her skeptically, "Well yes she had to go but I didn't kill her..."

She knitted her brows in confusion, rehashing his words in her mind. "You didn't- What? I thought you said that you got rid of her," she choked out, tears building in her throat, "For me.."

"Oh your majesty please don't fret." He reached for her and she pulled away, obviously upset. _Dammit_ , he cursed himself. He was so close to pleasing her and once again she would see him as a failure, unable to get the job done, unable to follow through. "I wanted to kill her, Really I did but I couldn't, he told me to leave the rest to him... I did what was best, please believe that."

"He?" She inquired and her tears seemed to be put on pause as she sniffled and looked into his eyes.

Sidney leaned forward with a nod. "King George! He told me that the only way I could win your heart would be by getting rid of that sniveling Princess."

Regina reared her head back with a scoff, looking at her once right hand with increasing incredulousness. "Sidney, I was framed for her disappearance-"

"I know and I'm so sorry my Queen, but it was supposed to work out in-"

"What did you think would happen if a heart was linked to the crime? A heart that you forged DNA for." Her voice began to raise and he started to see that the tables were turning and her sadness was slowly morphing into ire.

He dipped his head in shame as he spoke, "perhaps I didn't think this through."

"Think it through? Dear, you don't even know who you're working for! You followed a man you knew could care less for me and blindly did what he asked without even a second thought to how his actions really aligned with your interests!" Her eyes remained pink but the fire that appeared in them was unmistakable, raising his need to defend himself, to prove himself once again.

"I didn't know he was tricking me! He told me that if everything led to you then you would finally be mine!" He raised his voice, a hand slamming on the table. "Charming would be so angry and he'd blame you for her disappearance. All the evidence would drive him to leave you and when it turned out that you didn't do it, you'd be too angry to let him come back!" He breathed, exhaling as his excitement came to a head and he looked at her with a smile reflective of his troubled heart. "Then you, you'd be mine." He shook his head, sneering at the glass as if he knew that David was behind it. "But you took him back." His eyes refocused on 'his Queen', "if you wouldn't have forgiven him, everything would have worked out."

"Sidney." She pushed herself back from the table until she stood over him and he began to shrink back into place, back to where he's always been. Stuck in a space of no escape, limited to what he could do, limited in what he could say. "It doesn't matter what plan you had;" she had to get it through his thick head, "I'll never be yours."

The ex-genie looked positively mortified. Everything that he had done, everything that he had schemed for, everything that he had worked for, he was nothing more than a bauble to take the fall, a pawn in this game that he knew not the ending of. When the door met the frame, but never closed, and he was knew alone, he also knew that he'd be like that forever. There was no way he'd see anything else but stone walls when they were done with him, when he had lived out whatever punishment they had for him.

It was over.

When she walked out, their eyes met. They had been set up to fall apart, destined to fight, purposed to argue. Their pain had been manipulated into manifestation and then used against them. In the end, they were all pawns. The were all tools only useful in the journey to the final outcome; when all was said and done, the Kings, the Queens, the Knights, the Bishops-mere pawns in the greater scheme of things.

"Call George and tell him that-"

"Tell me what?" The voice itself had all three of them turning to the end of the hallway, never even hearing the door open. Startled, Regina backed into David while Emma took strides towards the balding king with her hand on an empty holster.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

He chuckled in response, sliding his hands in his pocket. "Such hostility.."

"Your damn right." Emma responded, unmoved by his appearance as David pushed Regina behind him gently, stepping forward with no intentions of letting this man win.

"I saw the lights on and wanted to check on your progress..." He peeked behind the pair to acknowledge Regina in the background. "I see you're in the process of letting her go..."

"Actually we have someone else in custody." David looked back to see Regina pushing passed him, obviously not likened to the backseat of things. "We think he was working with someone..."

"Well if not yourself, who do you plan on taking the fall?"

"Why don't you come see for yourself..." Regina stepped back, nodding at the two Sheriffs active or not so that they would let him through, let this work itself out. "Sidney Glass." She vocalized when he came close enough, watching for his response. It was small but it was there, the tensing of his muscles, the surprise, the reflex; small but there.

Collecting himself, he cleared his throat, looking her up and down. "Well that's unfortunate; I know how close you two were, him being trapped in your mirrors and all." He was treading carefully, unsure of what was coming next.

"Yes, we were close..In fact we were so close, that I'm guessing you're aware of where his loyalties lie." The Mayor had come to surpass both blondes and now stood in front of the former monarch, crown to crown without a hint of fear in the air.

"What are you implying?"

Regina smiled, leaning forward with a bit of triumph, "we know, she said simply.

"You know?" He chuckled, "you know what?"

Her smirk fell, growing tired with his ambiguity and inability to come clean. "You taped us, watched us, manipulated, attempted to intimidate us, framed me and now you're lying to my face as if you have no concept of what you've done. WE KNOW what you did."

"I don't know what you're talking about?"

"Well did you think that you'd have Sidney tape my house without taping your meetings, and your offices as insurance?" David and Emma exchanged glances, knowing that they didn't have that information but of course Albert didn't know that, eating up every word that spilled from the Mayor's mouth. "Like you said, we were close; you'd be a fool to believe that he wouldn't employ the same tactics as I would." Albert shifted in place, monotonous, but she knew that he was sweating on the inside and the composure he displayed was nothing more than attempts at self-preservation. She bent forward by a fraction, bringing back a smile that made his blood boil as she uttered two words that pushed him over the edge.

"Your Majesty."

Albert bit the inside of his cheek, resisting the urge to speak as she baited him, though his red features told all that he wouldn't. With a swift movement that none of them preempted, his arms jutted out and he shoved the bane of his existence into the interrogation room, slamming the door behind them as he ran in. Regina stumbled inside, having caught herself from falling as the failing lawyer locked the door from the inside, running to ram a chair beneath the doorknob.

Sidney, flabbergasted, stood in the corner after steering himself back to avoid the commotion. Knocks and bangs on the door sounded through the room and a blonde ponytail ran from the window, presumably to get the keys. Regina braced herself against the wall cautiously, not knowing what was going through Albert's mind or what was his endgame.

He was a pawn gone rogue.

"What did you tell her?!" Albert demanded, pointing a finger at Sidney accusingly. The man froze on the spot, not knowing how to proceed as his mind went blank and the corner became his place of refuge. Without an answer, tired of not getting an answer, tired of being in the dark, tired of gaining control only to lose it, he clasped his hand around Regina's neck and pinned her against the wall behind her, hoping to spark Sidney's memory.

"Don't-Don't hurt the Queen-She, I don't-"

"What did you tell her?!" Regina clawed at his hands, feeling the loss of breath, the loss of power as he reveled in her weakening.

"Ev-Everything! She knows about everything, the tapes, the tap, the knife, the heart-EVERYHTING! Please, just let her go!" Sidney sputtered, having the control to stop him but he was too much of a coward to recognize it. So he stood there, shuddering at the sight, the thought of his Queen being injured.

"Did you tell her about the warehouse?" Spencer questioned. When Sidney's features dropped, his grip tightened so that no air was reaching her. Before he was being generous, for lack of a better word, but now he was cutting off all supply.

"No..." She strangled out, attempting to save her own self. "I...don't...know..."

"Shut. Up!" Albert strained her back against the wall once more, knocking any wind left within her out and effectively silencing her.

"I didn't tell her, I swear she doesn't know anything about it!"

"You weak piece of-YOU'RE LYING!" Albert raged and the banging on the door, ever present, became more thunderous, more abrasive. The door began to budge and he discarded his hold on her, casting her roughly to the side. Feeling the push and the weight of her body her hands jutted out, only so that her body could hit the side of the table, the final blow that she could physically take.

The hinges broke from the door and the chair clattered to the floor as David came bustling in, lunging at the man who had tried to take everything from him. They collapsed on the floor in a fit and the young prince straddled the King, fists flying as he pummeled the man for the death of his mother, for the trickery of his father, for the loss of his brother, for the cursing of his wife, for the pain inflicted upon his family. He didn't see a face, he just saw red; whether it was blood or anger, he didn't know.

Emma knew that David would take care of Albert and paid no mind to restraining the man, going immediately to the Mayor, coughing violently as her body heaved on the floor. "Sidney-Sidney," he was understandably concerned, having ran for her the minute the door broke down and she fell to the floor but while caring, it was inappropriate. "I've got this, Sidney." She pushed him out of the way and bent down before her enemy, putting a careful hand on the woman's back, to which she responded with a hiss that hardened the blows going forth on the other side of the room.

Chaos had erupted and while trying to see if Regina was okay, Emma could barely get David's attention to get him to stop before he killed the man. Storybrooke's crime rate seemed to have multiplied one hundred fold since she came to town and murder needn't be added to the list. "DAVID!" She called, kneeling in front of Regina. He looked over, holding Albert's collar as he met his daughter's eyes, her silent plea as she hovered over his wife.

He looked down to see the purple bruises already forming around the man's eyes, his nose being possibly broken as the blood pooled around his face and his jaw began to puff nearly immediately. David wasn't satisfied though; truthfully, he wouldn't be satisfied if the man died either, he needed to suffer, he needed to feel the pain that David couldn't inflict on him because even he didn't have the power to do so.

Of course he wanted nothing more than to check on Regina but Albert had to be dealt with, he couldn't just let him get away with it, he couldn't not do anything. Seeing his line of site, Emma stood and took over for him, taking the handcuffs from David's side so that she could take care of Albert and he could take care of Regina, hoping that she was alright. She looked over her shoulder, seeing Sidney watch as the prince went to his Queen and luckily for him, Emma's call snapped him out of it.

"C'mon Sidney!" He followed hesitantly and left the pair alone, knowing that it wasn't his place to stay, but also unsure that it wasn't the prince's place to stay either.

"Regina?" Her hands were holding her up, palms flat on the floor as she grabbed her bearings after nearly being choked out and then thrown into a table, only to hit the floor in a maelstrom of happenings that she didn't feel cognitive of until it was all over.

"I'm fine," she lied, shaking her head as she braced a hand against her back painfully. "You need to go find out where he's hiding Snow."

"I'm not leaving you, I-" She looked up to meet his eyes, pressing her other hand to her stomach as she attempted to sit up. He held her shoulders, helping her do so as she bit the inside of her cheek to keep from reacting to the tension in her sore muscles. As bad as it felt and as much as she _wanted_ him, she knew that Snow _needed_ him and time was of the essence. They didn't know what Spencer had planned and if he was lying then, he could have set something in motion before he left.

They just didn't know.

"Go.." She nodded, assuring him that he needed to heed her advice, that he needed to move on. "I'll be fine."

She exhaled shakily, feelings his hands meet her waist anyway, disregarding her instructions. He couldn't just leave her on the floor writhing. She wasn't going to like it but he reached his arm around her back and undermined her knees, cursing himself every step of the way as she winced despite wanting to hold back any reaction. "I've got you," that's all he could tell her because that's all he knew. He wasn't sure if everything was alright, if she was okay, where the pain was, he just knew that regardless he had her.

He wasn't just going to leave her.

She felt around at the base of her stomach, silently praying that nothing had gone wrong and that all was well; but she didn't want him to worry. "Get Sidney alone and he'll tell you, he's scared now-he'd tell you anything." She distracted him, she distracted herself as he walked into his office and held her close, ignoring the dried scarlet on the back of his hands.

He wasn't going to allow her to think that he would do that to her again, that he would drop everything and leave her in a time when she clearly needed him. Yes, his priorities were in order and yes, never leaving her again was one of them.

"I'm fine." She repeated as he settled her on the couch. She wanted to sit up but he was hearing none of it, pulling the side pillow forward.

"Lie down." He stood over her, making his seriousness clear and she flinched as her muscles flexed and stretched, allowing him to kneel beside her. "I'll call Whale and-"

"No..." She stopped him, reaching out to thumb the soft cheek that she loved to feel pressed against her own. "Go...please.." She couldn't have the guilt on her chest, knowing that he was with her while something happened to Snow that could have been prevented. It wouldn't be her fault but he would be devastated and she would no doubt feel his pain. "I'll be fine."

He was reluctant to stand, not knowing what more he could do, what more was possible? A rock and a hard place, not only was he caught between them but they seemed to be closing in on him. With one swift and final move, he pressed his lips against hers, he recaptured the smalls bits that they had lost and rekindled what they had missed for months. Lying back, her palm met his cheek and he pulled away slowly, pecking her lips with a bit of finality.

How long had it been? She didn't know. What she did know was that he was making every attempt to reassure her, to give her back all that had been taken, restore all that had been lost; and to seal it with a long awaited kiss was more than she could have expected, than she could have wanted. All that was left, all that she needed was for her children to be alright and even Snow to be alright; the last thing they needed was a tragedy to mourn, a happening to discuss or a problem to deal with.

Hopefully this never-ending storm was finally meeting it's close.

Hopefully.


	16. Kin

They received the call not long after, that they had found her. It began with a wide eyed blonde and ended with her racing out the door, telling the Mayor in a fleeting moment that they had did it, that they had found her. The Mayor seemed unfazed by the news, propped up by open palms on a couch as she waited for the news, to hear what they had found. And alas, the news had come and she didn't even blink. She did stand, leaving the Sheriff's office only to see a dejected Albert Spencer behind bars, holding a beige towel to his face as Sidney sat in the corner facing the wall. Together they tried to break her and they can't say that they succeeded but they also can't say that they failed.

She fought it every step of the way. She clawed, she kicked, she swung, she wasn't breaking easily. There were cracks to show for, residual pain as proof that she had gone through hell and was yet to come back. It was far from over but this part of the story, these flames were done for.

"You're a fool if you think he's going to come back to you." All she wanted was to break him. That was the plan in the beginning, to see him fall, to hurt Snow White, to steal her Prince. But now, now it was so much more. She never meant to start a war, in fact, all she wanted was to win the one that they had already been engrossed in. But fate has a way intercepting and now she stood, thinking that something was ending only to be reminded that indeed, it was only beginning.

She remained poised in the middle of the hallway, hearing the fragmented voice of another that had tried and failed to take her down. At times, after a victory she felt unconquerable but this time, this time there was certain ambivalence to the hubris that kept her head high.

"She's been activated."

Perhaps that was why.

Snow White was activated. Mary Margaret Blanchard could only be known as an alter ego because Snow White, heir to the White throne was awake, again ironically, most likely looking to claim her Prince. She wouldn't know that he was awake so she would hold him at no fault. It was perfect really, the perfect opportunity for him to put the pieces of his fairytale together, leave this broken picture that he had built with her and run, just run back to what he knew.

Her head dipped at his words, allowing the silhouette of her face to shine in the fading hallway lights. It was quite late, nearing the next day in fact and the only thing to show for the night were the stars in the sky and the lights of the Sheriff's department. He told her not to be a fool, not to fall into the trap that her mother had told her of decades ago.

Love is weakness.

And if it truly is, if the pitter patter of one's heart for another showed signs of small ability, if two becoming one left both in a state of incapacity, if being willing to do anything for the other left them weak, then weak she was.

Stepping lightly on the tile, she gave him the chance to say more with a prolonged exit but he said nothing, only coddling his bloody nose as she pushed open the door to the Sheriff's station and ignored her gnawing mind that told her to stay put. Of course she was still in pain, she was thrown against a table for God's sakes, and of course she was worried but nothing was going to make her sit down and twiddle her thumbs waiting for someone to call her. Maybe while she was there, she would get checked out but she'd go regardless.

Driving off in her dark Mercedes, alone after Emma had taken off in her bright beetle, she wondered about the loneliness she felt. As strong as she was, she had a penchant for letting people get to her, for giving their words more weight than deserved. Within herself, she couldn't find it to judge him, truly judge him. In her eyes, they were the same. He had lost his wife and the chance of having a family only to have his only son killed in front of him. He was bitter, he was angry and he wanted someone to pay. He never got closure and in an act of patriarchy, used another man for the greater good of his kingdom only to be stabbed in the back for the very same thing that he had lost.

True Love.

With one hand on the steering wheel and another reaching for her console, she grabbed her phone and pushed one number before it began to dial in her ear. With a shaky breath, she held it between her shoulder and ear, not even caring if he picked up. She'd be satisfied just getting his voice mail because all she needed, all she wanted was to hear his voice.

" _Regina?"_

She sighed, hearing him sigh as well; perhaps they both needed the same thing. She opened her mouth, hesitating as the sirens of the ambulance faded in and out of the speaker. "Are you alright?"

On the other side he was shaking his head, having just carried the woman that was supposed to be his true love out of an old dusty warehouse that he wouldn't damn a dog to. She was unconscious, dehydrated as they suggested and from what he could tell, paler than usual. It wasn't himself that he was worrying about. "I uh-We found her."

That's how he was; that's how he could describe it. They had found her, the woman that he felt a tinge of relief for when finding out that she had perished. He regretted the feeling immediately but that didn't change the facts, it didn't change the weight that lifted from his chest and had now settled back down as though the weight of the world found solace being on top of him.

She nodded though he couldn't see her, her voice coming across as small and soft. "I know..." They needn't say much, knowing the depths of the other's thoughts without needing them vocalized. They knew their faults, they knew their weaknesses and just like monsters in the closet, saying they weren't real over and over again did nothing to dissolve the fear they both felt.

"I'm on my way." She purged the silence to get him over the hump, knowing that his mind was spinning in endless circles over the same thing. Over the guilt, over the anger, over the relief. But she only told him so that she could tell him part number two; she didn't want his response, his reaction. He might not want her to come but she needed to, he might want her to come and she didn't want that either because then he'd feel even more torn between the two possibilities, the two futures. "David, she's awake."

On the other line, he squinted, shaking his head after carrying her out himself. "No, I just saw her, she's unconscious."

"David," she paused, swallowing in preparation for the bricks that were about to fall upon him, that were bound to weigh him down when he already felt like he was drowning, "she's awake."

She began to hear the sirens in distance but they were closer, knowing that she was seconds from the hospital and he must have been as well, hearing the same capacity over the phone. He was unresponsive and with due right. What could he say? What could be translated across a telephone that could describe cinder blocks tied around your ankles? What translates gasping for air only to be pushed back under water once more? How could he find the words?

He couldn't.

She wouldn't say anything, only turning and swerving as she zoomed past speed limits that she was sure he had broken as well. The occasional sigh and huff was all until the chime of a door was heard and she knew that he had walked in. With that, she hung up the phone, needing him to be completely attentive, completely on his game. This wouldn't be easy and any type of distraction had the capacity for liability. She'd be arriving soon anyway.

Hearing the dial tone, he hadn't even realized that he appreciated her silence until it was gone, until she'd hung up. It took a moment and a blonde ponytail swinging towards him to snap out of the realization, the moment.

"I met the ambulance here and called Ruby, she's on her way." Emma smoothed a hand over her head before resting her hands on her hips with a stance that she had grown accustomed to. "I can't-I can't believe she's alive." She couldn't help the smile that was creeping onto her face, the sheer excitement and the plain guilt. He was right all along, she was too involved to see clearly passed finding fault in Regina and had they stayed on that path, they might not have found her in time, or at all. "Hey, David...about before, I-"

"She's awake..." He spoke, running his hands down his face before resting on the nurse's counter as though the wind was knocked out of him. He seemed to be informing himself as well, willing to say it until he didn't doubt it.

"She-" Emma's hands flitted in front of her before she squinted, not understanding just as he had mere moments ago, "...what?"

"She..." He shook his head, rolling his eyes a bit. "I don't know, but she's awake, she knows who she is."

"She-she-How could she know who she is and why are people suddenly waking up?" He shrugged because she was, of course, asking the wrong person.

"We should speak privately." Emma Swan nearly jumped out of her skin, hearing the Mayor's voice spring from behind her. David must have seen her coming but the blonde had no idea, stepping back at the sound so that she could look at both of them.

David nodded, looking behind them before taking a few steps backwards, seeing no nurses at the time. He opened the supply closet and gave them the eye to go in, something that Emma didn't see as necessary but she complied regardless with Regina following behind her, eyes meeting David's when he closed the door behind himself and flipped on the lights to find that they were surrounded by cleaning supplies and cloths.

"Fine, we're in private," She began, flapping her arms by her side, "How and why is Mary Margaret 'awake'" with the use of air quotes, "and how did you two find out?"

Regina, pressing a hand to her back, felt them both boring into her with curiosity. "Albert told me."

Emma sighed, rolling her eyes. "And he's so easily trusted, COME ON Regina."

"Ms. Swan," she swore the young woman knew how to induce a headache, "..allow me to enlighten you on how this curse works. You, supposedly the savior, brought the magic back to certain items, that we held near and dear in our land, here in Storybrooke when you arrived. For lack of a better word, you _activated_ them and now upon seeing certain items, that person is _'activated'_ themselves." She sighed at the confusion on her face, shaking her head. "Albert became George when he saw King Midas' glove, which I'm guessing is also Midas' talisman. Ruby became Red when she saw her red riding hood and Mary Margaret became...Snow when she saw her item. Which I am guessing was her tiara..." Her voice faded off and David cut his eyes in her direction, noting that she had avoided his gaze.

"You've known how to wake her up this whole time?" He whispered, not really in anger but more in disbelief, disbelief that she hadn't told him sooner.

"This whole thing could have been avoided if you'd have woken her up?!" Emma exclaimed, jumping from A-Z even though they had already pieced it all together.

"No I, I wasn't sure what her talisman was. I only knew the process. And if I recall correctly, Albert and Sidney already had their plan set in place before I ever gained access to any of this information." She was beginning to get a little hot because she truly didn't know. Sidney had placed the knife under Charlotte's bed the day that she spoke to Gold, and Albert had been woken up long before that.

"It's okay," he offered her the solace she sought, placing a hand on her back in habit only to feel her wince at his touch, looking back regretfully at him. She wasn't shrinking at his touch, the action actually was painful. "You don't have to explain..." He continued wearily, looking her over after practically forgetting what they had gone through at the station.

"Yes she does-She knew-

"Emma.." He spoke, eyes never leaving Regina, her eyes having long left his. "I need you to call Ruby and see if she's here yet, if she is both of you need to watch Snow's door and make sure no one goes in her room unless it's needed. And when she wakes up, don't tell her anything...let her tell you what she knows and what she remembers."

Emma nodded begrudgingly, hesitating but following through and allowing the door to close behind her. David, seeing how hard Regina was trying to keep her face on, sent Emma out for a reason. She was still angry, and for good reason but right now it wasn't about her, it wasn't about how she felt.

"Regina..." He reached for the hand that she balanced on the shelf behind her and she gripped his hand in response, feeling herself sink into her infirmities rather than stall them off like she had before. And she knew pain, she knew good pain and bad pain and this, well she knew that something was wrong to say the least.

"I'll get Whale-"

"Wait..." She reached for his jacket, feeling it subside momentarily. It wasn't overbearing, more like a dull ache that throbbed in the muscles of her back and sat at the bottom of her stomach, which was disconcerting. He felt her weight begin to slide down the shelves and he acted hastily, steadying her only to have her shake her head, holding his arms as they held her. "Let me, let me go..."

He was resisting it but eventually, eased her down to sit on the floor, for which she was grateful. She just had this feeling of not being able to stand anymore, of feeling her legs go from bone to jelly. "Whale, let me get Whale..." For her to sit down on the floor of a dusty supply closet, he knew that something was wrong for maintenance to go out of the window but she wouldn't let him go that easily.

"Look at me.." She pulled him back by the lapels of his jacket as he got on bended knee in front of her. Reaching for his cheeks, she cupped his face with a sad smile, tears brimming in her eyes as she spoke. "I'm giving you an out..." Through the smile that she wore, she bit her lip, not wanting to spare any more tears; she'd need them later. "She doesn't know that you're awake and you can go back," She shook her head, holding steadfast to his cheeks, "I can talk to Ruby and I know that all Emma wants is a happy family; Snow would be none the wiser..."

"Regina," He thumbed at the hands that held him close, that told him to go but kept pulling him back. Soft hands that he had held in the best of times and in the worst of times. Hands that he held when joining together and were now telling him that he could forget, he would be allowed to let go. "I don't want that life..."

"Yes you do," he was the valiant Prince Charming that fought for his land and killed for his true love, he had to want that life. "You want happiness and she made you happy, David."

"She did," He sniffled, remembering their time together, their short time together. Their initial courtship, their short marriage and the minutes they spent with their child, she had made him happy. "...but you make me happy." That was before but now, in this moment, it was her that made his heart go pitter patter, it was her for which he was willing to do anything, her who he could feel, who he had become one with.

"David, you don't..." She shook her head, looking away as the tears ran from both of her eyes. It had been so long since she had been chosen, since someone had said 'you're the one I want' that she didn't even realize when it was looking her right in the face. "You don't have to do this...Be a father to Charlotte, be a father to your son, even to Henry...be a father to Emma. We don't have-"

"But Regina," he thumbed the plum of her cheeks and she dropped her hands. "I love YOU..." She shook her head as the tears left her. She didn't understand someone choosing her; that part of her heart had been so broken for so long that it didn't even recognize when someone was knocking, asking to be let in. "And I will tell you every day until you realize it..."

She closed her eyes, allowing the tears to slip down until she felt him pull her into an embrace. This was their preparation, their fortification. If they were going to do this then they needed to do this together, as one. They had to be on the same page, they had to know that if they stood, they stood together. There would be tears, there would be arguments, there would be trials, there would be tribulations, there would be scares; hearts would be broken, relationships would be ended and unless they came together, they would leave apart.

Regardless.

He needed to know that she wouldn't run from him if he look like he wavered and she needed to know that he wouldn't run when her back was turned; they had to trust again, they had to build it back.

Even if it started on the dusty floor of a supply closet.

"I'm right here.." His hand ran through her hair as he held her, as they continued to mend. Only when he felt her begin to slump in his arms did the healing halt and the panic begin. "Reg-Regina?" He stuttered, lifting her shoulder's to see that her tear stained cheeks were paling and her brown eyes had remained closed. He tapped her cheek.

No response.

He shook her lightly.

No response.

"Regina!"

There would be trials, there would be tribulations, there would be scares.

X

His legs felt like putty, numbed to the steps he took. He just felt heavy really, like he couldn't support his own weight or the weight of those around him. His shoulders were sunken, holding more than anyone would care to know or see. Most would think that the Sheriff was just tired, which he was, but it also went beyond the realm of physicality. He was tired of the push and pull, of the fighting, and only wanted peace-something that he knew would be a distant memory with the hell that was about to break loose.

As much as he wanted to collapse into a fit of his own tears, for the uncertainty, for the fear and for the scares, he couldn't. He had to straighten his shoulders, he had to wipe his eyes and get himself together because he couldn't bring the baggage from one situation to another. He had to go in there with a clear head, not a clouded one, with a loving heart and not a broken one.

"Where the hell have you been, I called you like 8 times!" Emma jumped out of the waiting room chair she had been in, only to have an arm thrown out in front of her to keep her from continuing.

Ruby's.

"Wait..." She dipped her head as he looked off, warding off his emotions, off his heart. Clear mind, loving heart, clear mind, loving heart, clear mind, loving heart, he was trying but he didn't know if he was succeeding. "David, what's wrong?" Emma deflated to see his red eyes, gone unnoticed when she was ready to tear him to shreds.

David shrugged, pinching at his nose casually, hoping that he wasn't red as he sniffed and avoided their concerned stares. "There's uh...there's been some complications." He nodded, looking away as his eyes welled up. He didn't want to be the Sheriff crying in the middle of the hallway but he was terrified, terrified for the lives of two of the most important people in his life.

Uncertainty: it can make a fearful situation terrifying.

"And uh..." He crooked his jaw, rubbing at his neck as he turned to give them his back. He wasn't trying to be rude but he couldn't do it with a straight face, without losing his cool.

"David?" Ruby touched his back and he covered his eyes, moving forward to allow his steps to carry him anywhere but there. It was the dead of night and yet prying eyes still roamed the halls; so rather than letting half of the town know their business, Ruby led him out the back, throwing a knowing look to Emma who nodded in response.

When the humidity of the night hit his body, his shoulders shook as he turned away from his friend, from the only true friend he really had. She never turned her back on him, no matter what transpired between them she was there. So when he felt her hand on his back, it was more of a comfort than she knew.

"David, it's not your fault..." All he had said were that there were complications, and though she didn't know how severe they were she knew that he had a tendency to blame himself, to carry the weight of the world.

He turned around, wiping his face clean to show his blue eyes stained with a pained red and a worried disposition. "I pushed her! She hasn't been sleeping because of me, she's been stressed because of me, because I didn't know when to stop hurting her and start loving her again..." He shook his head, clasping his hands on the back of his neck as he paced, airing his grievances. "I let Emma lock her up in jail-I let her interrogate Sidney and I didn't stop George I-" Just mentioning the man's name made his hands yearn to feel his throat within them.

"David..."

"And then Snow!" He dropped his hands, shrugging as he sniffed back his tears. "What am I supposed to say to her? She's going to wake up wanting a reunion and I-I can't give her that." His hand clutched at his chest, at the heartache that he was bound to inflict. He didn't want to hurt her but he couldn't lie to her only to prolong the inevitable.

"Just start with the truth." She knew that he couldn't say much but that. Of course Snow would be hurt, possibly broken. She would be confused and feel as though the rug had been pulled from beneath her but at this point, what more could be done?

He nodded once more, shaking his shoulders as he pulled himself together, wiping his face and sniffing back the redness of his nose. Ruby gave him a small smile of consolation and he appreciated her advice, her being there when no one else seemed to be; he would need that.

Patting him on the back as he walked passed, she followed behind him as he made his way back into the cool corridors of the hospital, his shoulders straighten and his mind cleared. However, the direction that he went really wasn't the one she had expected him to travel. But she didn't question him; she trusted his judgment and let him go.

He'd do the right thing.

Hopefully.

X

He hadn't the will to go see her yet, not when his heart thumped with the worry of another. One issue at a time is what he told himself, not wanting to collapse under the pressure of everything like he kind of suspected Regina did. To be quite honest, he was almost surprised that she lasted this long without intervention.

Tip-toeing into her room, he realized that Whale and a nurse were already there, presumably to run some tests. Making sure that the click of the lock was soft as possible, he drew their attention shortly to him before they turned back to her stats and the monitors that called for darkness to be seen.

The red headed nurse that he remembered as the woman who used to sell potatoes at the town grocer sat beside Regina's bedside, sliding a probe over her jelled stomach, occasionally looking up to Dr. Whale whose head nodded in response. He was scribbling notes onto her chart, leaving the Sheriff in the dark as he took hold of his wife's limp hand, brushing back the hair from her face with the other.

"So..." He could only be in the dark for so long without getting annoyed, eyeing the two professionals with curious eyes. They weren't used to the worried eyes of patients, of their families. No one got sick in Storybrooke and no one had emergencies; they had essentially been living in a utopia of monotony where the only thing to fear was change. Now that that had been realized, everything was to be feared: the inevitable, the unexpected, the expected, the broken, the whole, the monsters, the saviors, nothing was exempt.

"We're gonna take good care of them..." He met the eyes of his friend, not really as close as Ruby and him but they were okay, they related to one another on occasion. The far from seasoned physician gave him a short smile that the Sheriff couldn't bring himself to return, really only wanting to know about his wife, about his son without any of the fluff in between. Though the sentiment was nonetheless appreciated.

The nurse swiveled her chair back and pointed to the dark screen. "Sheriff..." David looked up and watched as she pointed to different frames, "There's your boy..."

"She probably won't be up until the morning given how exhausted she was.." Whale added.

"That's understandable.." David chimed, wishing that he'd push the point rather than draw out the circumstances.

"She's not contracting, which is a good thing-"

"Why would she be contracting? She's not even that far along-"

"I'm sorry, I um..." He looked down, shuffling his feet, "Karen, hit the lights." The nurse, that David could only assume to be Karen, stood and wiped the gel from the Mayor's stomach before pulling back the half-gown that she now wore, taking her time to tend to the maintenance of things while Whale scribbled some more and stuck his pen behind his ear.

Eventually she flipped on the lights and David squinted, adjusting to the change in lights as he attempted to make eye contact with the shifty doctor. As friendly as they may be, he didn't always trust him. "Victor..."

"There's no bleeding and we couldn't determine the exact cause with the ultrasound but-"

"But what?!" His patience was wearing thin, tired of Whale acting as though he had all day to wait and hear the man draw out the inevitable.

"David..." Whale called out in a near warning tone that had the Sheriff straightening his back in a near challenge that the poised doctor chose to ignore, deciding instead to flip through the chart in his hands. "I'm going to wait until she wakes up so that I can confirm abdominal tenderness but from what you were telling me, she's showing signs of a placental abruption-"

"Which is?"

Victor paused, shaking his head. "I don't think you'd understand..."

David's eyes closed as he tried to remain calm and collected despite the man that seemed intent on breaking his will to refrain from violence. "Victor it is 2 am and in about 6 hours, my wife is going to wake up and I will be the first person that she sees. I have no doubt in my mind that the first thing she'll want to know is what happened and what's going to happen; those are the two questions I need answers to right now, got it?"

Dr. Whale blinked, noting the tone of the Sheriff as that of an actual Sheriff rather than a friend to have drinks with after a long day's work. "I'm worried that the placenta is in danger of separating from the uterus and in that case, she'd be delivering much earlier than expected or wanted. We're going to monitor her here for the next couple of days and if things don't get worse then we'll let her continue bed rest at home for about 5-8 weeks and then we'll see where we are and if we have a preemie on our hands."

"5-8 weeks?" He glanced down at her sleeping form with a raised brow, knowing that she'd never go for that. "Can she work?"

"She'll have about an hour privilege on her feet each day and as long as the work isn't stressful, I don't see a real problem with it..."

"Okay...one more question."

Whale took his pen from his ear and flipped it between his fingers, "go ahead..."

"Worst case scenario..." They needed to know what was ahead of them, how difficult the road would be.

"Umm...Despite the bed rest, the placenta might continue to separate and we'll have to have an early delivery and I'll have to start her on corticosteroids to make sure the little guy's lungs are prepared to enter the world..." David nodded, knowing that it wasn't the worst case scenario really, only a hybrid of the worst case. Worst case was losing one of them, worst case was bringing their world crashing down on them in the brevity of a couple weeks.

"If you have any more questions, come find me..." With a nod, he departed and left the two alone in a silence that they had grown to appreciate, that allowed them to think. He did have questions; wondering if the complications were impart due to Albert's stupid move but he'd rather not think about that, getting angrier with each fleeting thought.

He had his moment with Ruby, he suppressed his tears, he cried his tears, he got it out. Now, in this moment, he knew that his strength had to come forth, he knew that he couldn't allow her to shoulder it by herself anymore and of course, he knew that the time would come when he'd have to cross the hall and visit Snow.

But he didn't feel the release.

The moment he decided to stop chasing a future that was nonexistent and stay with the family that he had found in a cursed land, he felt the release of his previous life. It was as if a connection had been severed, romantically. He'll always feel something for her but of the same magnitude that they had once known was unlikely. It was unfortunate for some but he knew that it had to be done, it had to be experienced. He couldn't mend what he wanted while carrying dead weight around.

For something to begin, something must end.

X

_Sneak Peek for_ _Chapter 17: Lodebar_

Sleeping in a metal chair wasn't exactly how he pictured spending that night when the day began but it's nevertheless what happened. He shrugged at the pang in his neck as he watched his coffee go from tar to chestnut with the swivel of his stirrer and a dash of sugar. With a quick text, Ruby was off to check on the 'prisoners and Emma was-Emma was walking towards him.

Taking a sip of his morning pick-up, his brows rose as her ponytail swung behind her and she stopped in front of him, not caring about the nosy nurses that watched as the Sheriff confronted...the Sheriff.

"What the hell, David?!" He swallowed quickly despite the burn in his throat and choked out a "what?" To which she scoffed. "Don't _what_ me! Did you really leave me and Ruby all night to deal with your real," she whispers, "wife," he set his cup down as she continued," while you were babysitting your fake one?!"

"She-"

"She what, David? I talked to one of the nurses, she's still asleep and has been since she was admitted!" The blonde was obviously livid, arms flailing by her sides as she kept her tone to a harsh whisper with no qualms about scolding him. "I have spent HOURS lying to Mary Margaret, pretending like I don't know who she is while you've been off doing what-"

He sighed, hands automatically finding his hips before he found that Emma had picked up that stance from him, ironically enough. He didn't want to give her the impression that he didn't care but the last thing he needed was to be lectured for his choices especially when there was nothing to be done about them now. "Emma, I'm doing the best I can-"

"No you're not! You're doing what's easy for you, because sitting next to the sleeping one is way easier than telling the one that's awake that you've knowingly pursued a relationship with the ONE PERSON-"

"Okay, enough Emma, enough!" He didn't mean to raise his voice but she knew nothing of their relationship, of what truly had gone on between them. He understood that she was torn, that she was hurt and confused but lashing out at him did nothing but spread the pain around.

"No, no you don't get to tell me when enough is enough because you are NOT my father." Her last statement left her breathing tethered and her eyes wide, making much more of statement than she knew. He hadn't been a father to her, he sent her away, he chose his other family and any time she questioned him he shut her down. No, he hadn't earned the _right_ to be her father.

"Sheriff..." He looked down to stir his coffee without meeting her eyes, without meeting her disappointment. "I think you need to take a moment to clear your head, maybe get some fresh air..." Lifting his cup to his lips, he walked passed her and she scoffed, throwing a few words over her shoulder.

"I see you've mastered your _wife's_ cold front.." She watched as he paused, rolling her eyes when he continued down the hallway.


	17. Lodebar

Sleeping in a metal chair wasn't exactly how he pictured spending that night when the day began but it's nevertheless what happened. He shrugged at the pang in his neck as he watched his coffee go from tar to chestnut with the swivel of his stirrer and a dash of sugar. With a quick text, Ruby was off to check on the 'prisoners' and Emma was-Emma was walking towards him.

Taking a sip of his morning pick-up, his brows rose as her ponytail swung behind her and she stopped in front of him, not caring about the nosy nurses that watched as the Sheriff confronted...the Sheriff.

"What the hell, David?!" He swallowed quickly despite the burn in his throat and choked out a "what?" To which she scoffed. "Don't _what_ me! Did you really leave me and Ruby all night to deal with your real," she whispers, "wife," he set his cup down as she continued," while you were babysitting your fake one?!"

"She-"

"She what, David? I talked to one of the nurses, she's still asleep and has been since she was admitted!" The blonde was obviously livid, arms flailing by her sides as she kept her tone to a harsh whisper with no qualms about scolding him. "I have spent HOURS lying to Mary Margaret, pretending like I don't know who she is while you've been off doing what-"

He sighed, hands automatically finding his hips before he found that Emma had picked up that stance from him, ironically enough. He didn't want to give her the impression that he didn't care but the last thing he needed was to be lectured for his choices especially when there was nothing to be done about them now. "Emma, I'm doing the best I can-"

"No you're not! You're doing what's easy for you, because sitting next to the sleeping one is way easier than telling the one that's awake that you've knowingly pursued a relationship with the ONE PERSON-"

"Okay, enough Emma, enough!" He didn't mean to raise his voice but she knew nothing of their relationship, of what truly had gone on between them. He understood that she was torn, that she was hurt and confused but lashing out at him did nothing but spread the pain around.

"No, no you don't get to tell me when enough is enough because you are NOT my father." Her last statement left her breathing tethered and her eyes wide, making much more of statement than she knew. He hadn't been a father to her, he sent her away, he chose his other family and any time she questioned him he shut her down. No, he hadn't earned the _right_ to be her father.

"Sheriff..." He looked down to stir his coffee without meeting her eyes, without meeting her disappointment. "I think you need to take a moment to clear your head, maybe get some fresh air..." Lifting his cup to his lips, he walked passed her and she scoffed, throwing a few words over her shoulder.

"I see you've mastered your _wife's_ cold front.." She watched as he paused, rolling her eyes when he continued down the hallway. Was he cold? Gosh, he knew that he wasn't perfect, he knew that he had failed in some areas but being cold was never one of the things he had worried about. The more he thought about it, the more the white walls he passed played back the memories as if he had asked for a remote.

Had he been cold when cutting off contact with Mary Margaret just to avoid the inevitable? Had he been cold when he took Emma's badge without hesitating? Had he been cold when he seemingly left one family for another, when he strung some along and allowed others to fade in the background? He'd admit that he was detached, maybe even a little hard...

But cold?

He'd rather not analyze that to death too, flipping out his phone for the newest emergency that was bound to hit his ears. Reminded of the easier days as a deputy when Storybrooke was a boring uneventful town, the overworked Sheriff let out a broken sigh that ended with the much needed swig of coffee to burn his throat and wake him up.

It was going to be a long day.

Meanwhile, Emma swallowed, thinking in her mind about the lie she would tell today, the lie she would theorize and spit back at the woman that was supposed to be her mother. Hoping that she would be asleep, she pushed softly on her door only to find her up and alert, brown eyes looking back at her curiously.

"Emma..." There was something about the way she called her name, like it was tinged with a guilt that Emma wouldn't understand since she didn't know. But she did know, they were both guilty in a way that neither understood.

Quickly, she turned around to push the door to a close. Mary Margaret would stare at her, something that she noticed when she first woke up. The pixie haired archer would run her eyes over the blonde and her eyes would well up.

Allergies, she'd say.

Allergic to knowing she'd put her daughter in a box and she came back a grown woman, Emma would snort internally. She kept telling herself that they were giving her her best shot, just as she had done with Henry. But look where he ended up, in therapy and believing in fairytales; and she was caught in the middle of a ménage à trois with Snow White, Prince Charming and the flipping Evil Queen.

She wished that she was allergic to the crazy of the situation.

Part of her didn't want to lie, she didn't think she should have to lie for David to cover his ass. If he needed to be covered, then he should have made the effort to come see about his wife when she was only two floors away. Part of her wanted to bust his bubble, part of her wanted to drop the bomb and let the dust settle already.

That part of her won.

"Emma, are you alright?" Mary Margaret settled back into her pillow, as the blonde sighed, filling her pockets with sweating palms.

"I know..." She met the woman's eyes and watched as her expression morphed from confusion to perplexity, brows scrunching in response.

"You-You know? You know what?"

"The curse...I know..Ruby knows...David knows-We know you know too."

X

With a final swig of his coffee, he tossed the cup at the waste basin, thinking that he could make the shot. The styrofoam cup swatted the wall and dropped to the floor in a clank, proving that, indeed, Prince Charming was no basketball player. A sigh left him that was more than a paper ball, more than a missed basket.

As of late, it seemed as though he could do nothing right, like any move was the wrong one and it would only end up hurting those he cared about. Regina, Emma, Snow-of course he still cared about Snow, he'd never stop. He could only imagine how terrified she must be, alone and awake in a unfamiliar world only to be reminded that her true love was no longer hers, but another's.

He was reminded of being told that all curses were horrible but losing love, well that was the worst one imaginable; though, he would be the one to bring that about because she was still under the impression that his actions were involuntary, that he was being forced to live the life that he was given.

But that wasn't the case.

"Still missing the shot?" He turned around to find brown tired eyes looking his way, catching him in his thoughts.

He tossed the cup away with a sigh and passed one palm against the other, giving himself way. He always forgot that she knew him, that she knew his tells and unfortunately his weaknesses. "You can never...resist doing something with your hands..." She gave him a weak smile that soon dissipated as she pointed to his sweating palms, "Though this is new..."

His chuckle was short in nervous, broken up by every step he took to get away from her, to get to the counter where a bottle of water stood, "How do you feel?" He questioned, his back turned as he twisted the cap in his hands.

"Suspicious..." She narrowed her eyes at the jittery prince, blinking back a scowl over the sudden change in atmosphere.

Meandering with his steps, the disconnected Sheriff stuck a straw in the bottle and stood beside her, a once appreciated silence quickly becoming an awkward nuisance. "Suspicious? You swore on a spatula that you'd never drink tap water-"

"David, something's wrong..."

Always the intuitive one, the one that could pick up on a change despite brevity and an attitude despite it's nature. Yes, something was indeed wrong...He was beating himself up about not going to talk the one person he needed to, for not severing ties and cleaning up the mess he made. He felt guilty and was doing nothing about it and that, that only heightened the guilt that he was feeling.

"Nothing's wrong.." He smiled and lied; he lied and smiled and pushed a straw towards her lips, "..drink," he coaxed hoping to help her raspy tone.

"Did you talk to her?"

He huffed and adjusted the straw, "I took care of it, now drink..please." She eyed him wearily, tiny fists forming at her side as she moved to push herself up from the sinking pillows behind her. "Wait-" He caught her attention just as her focus went from his uncertainty to the wrecking ball seeming to attack her muscles. "He said you'd be sore, he-" setting down the bottle, he brought a pillow up from behind her, "..here.."

She settled back down with a hiss and found his stare to be unsettling, disconcerting; but then his lips brushed against hers and she found herself in a place of honing ignorance for the gift of bliss.

_I took care of it._

Part of her didn't believe him, in fact, most of her didn't believe him. He had lied and smiled and again, was pushing a water bottle in her face and she was reminded that she preferred to turn the other cheek when the other still stung from the backlash, the fights, the arguments. Perhaps he told her the truth but not the whole truth.

X

Days passed because time moves on and no one has the power to stop it. Mary Margaret was discharged and went home to her daughter and grandson, betrayal blistering in the depths of her heart. Regina was discharged eventually as well, going home to her daughter, her 'husband' and a guilty conscience for sticking her neck out where it had no business. Blame was coursing through her with the knowledge that it had been her altercation with George that brought her here, a state of close monitoring, bed-ridden and worried. Perhaps if she hadn't gotten involved, they would have eventually came to resolve but they'd never know and she'd never know what would have come of her little boy. As for now, she was confined to 108 Mifflin street with a burning conscience and a running mind.

Snow White on the other hand felt no guilt, only anger. She was locked in a warehouse for days only to be woken up and told that her true loved belonged to another-willingly. He had yet to see her, to tell her himself and with each day she grew more upset. How could he? After everything that they had been through? After everything that had done to be together?

And to abscond with the one person neither of them could stand, to fall into her web of lies and her trap, well it was reprehensible. She didn't know what to do. To stab a toaster to cry or to do both-Well technically she had done both but she needed something to fill her time, to fill the empty space left in her to stew in her thoughts.

Henry was at school, Emma was always at the station and Ruby, the person that was supposed to be her best friend was avoiding her. She hadn't the time or the card to go to Granny's to look into the eyes of people that were supposed to be her friends, her family, looking at her as though they were strangers, because in this world they were.

In this world, she was meant to have nobody.

All those that she had in another realm seemed to be on the side of the woman on the other side of Storybrooke who maintained the same amount of idle boredom, nothing to do and no one to share it with. David was back at work after taking off for a week and leaving the reigns to Emma and Charlotte was at daycare, probably coloring another mailman. Regina, on the other hand, lied in bed, fighting the sleep that attempted to take her.

_She couldn't help the scowl that passed over her features when she saw her standing next to her husband, the man that had promised himself to her, the man that she loved, the man that had been stolen right_ _from_ _under her nose. They were trying to fix things, working on their relationship, but she was always right there. Literally, now she was just right THERE._

_"You brought her?" Her voice was indignant with disbelief._

_David shifted on his feet and his hand touched the middle of_ _the Mayor's_ _, almost protectively. Had_ _Snow_ _not been so hurt, she might've had the strength to gasp at his actions, his seemingly involuntary actions._

_Sensing the tension, the_ _d_ _ark haired Mayor slipped out of his touch and neared the stairs, shaking her head. "I think I'm going to go." She knew that it wasn't a bright idea, that she would end up regretting it. Why did she, David and Snow_ _ALL_ _need to talk anyway?_

_"No." It was a guttural declaration from the shorter, weaker woman. She was standing up in the only way she knew how, her arm crossed over her chest while the other pointed in her enemy's direction. "You did this; You don't get to leave."_

_Regina turned around, one hand on the rail as the other drifted to her stomach, ever growing and ever housing the product of a relationship that wasn't supposed to happen. It angered the pixie haired woman that Regina had bested her in everything. It angered her that she had been married to David for only two years and Regina had him for five. It angered her that she only had one child with him that they didn't even get to raise together and Regina was already carrying their second. In her eyes, Regina had won._

_And it tore her up inside._

_"It's quite obvious you don't want me here." The hand that absently stroked at her bump paused when she caught the woman's eyes staring at her child, their child. She wore a dress that had an empire waist, a stiff black material that was tight around the bust but fanned out below beneath her red blazer. there was no hiding her condition and she made no effort to do so, only irking Snow to her breaking point._

_That was supposed to be her._

_"Oh really? It's quite obvious?" The rage had given her a bravado. "Well is the reason why obvious too? The fact that you used my husband to get to me or the fact that you went so far as to marry him? Or maybe the fact that you tried to hurt me even more by having bastard children-"_

_"Snow, wait a minute-" His interjection was met with a cold stare._

_"What the hell do you mean, 'wait a minute'? That's what they are, perhaps they're innocent in all of this but you're not married to her, not really. So what does that make them? Technically they're bastards." Regina looked away, a fire burning in her eyes as a smirk came upon her lips, pouring gasoline on a soaring flame. "What's so funny?"_

_"Technically, the makeshift wedding you held in our land isn't binding at all. Technically, the wedding in which your BEST FRIEND was a bridesmaid is legally binding. Technically, the fact that you're calling the children of a man you supposedly love bastards discredits any love you claim to have for him._ _"_ _She had hit a nerve, inciting that their relationship paled with a relationship born of a cursed world. She inched towards the girl's face, no longer caring about personal space as her teeth gritted against her words. "TECHNICALLY you're just afraid that for once you lose...and I win."_

_It wasn't about winning or losing, Regina knew that. But she also knew how to get to Snow and how to push her to her breaking point; she knew just what to say to infuriate the girl just as much as she had been infuriated._

_Perhaps she pushed too far._

_The back of her hand met the plum of her cheek and she lost her balance, stumbling back until solid ground became a series of steps and stairs that stung her body in all the wrong places._

_She didn't mean it, the minute she did it she regretted it and her heart plummeted when she saw the woman tumble down the stairs, trying to catch herself only to land at the bottom in a shaking heap. His attempts to catch her were futile and he broke her fall when she landed, barely missing her. Everything had happened so fast that he barely had a chance to process everything before he saw his wife,_

_His wife_

_F_ _lying down the stairs. Regina opened her eyes wearily, fearful of what she might see. She had shut them halfway down, not being able to process what was happening either. Now that she could, she was barely able to catch her breath. Something hard was on her back,she could tell by the way it pressed up against her. When a cool hand ran up her for_ _ehead_ _so that her hair slicked back and she could see without issue, she knew that it was him._

_He was there._

_She made a move to get up and cried out in pain, not realizing the trauma on her ankle until she attempted to move it in her boot. She didn't didn't want to think about the elephant in the room, in her mind. The minute she did her eyes welled up and she could feel the wind that had been knocked out of her._

_"David I-"_

_"DON'T!" He silenced any apology she had with a bark that he hadn't intended to be so powerful, but when it came out he didn't regret it. He could care less about what she felt in that moment, cradling her enemy against his chest. Carefully, he undermined her knees and positioned himself to lift her from the position she was in. "I know..." He soothed, hearing her hiss in pain, silent tears slipping down her face. She wouldn't break down in front of Snow._

_Not Again._

She jerked forward, immediately regretting the haste of her actions when the reality hit her. The pain was there, even her ankle throbbed a bit but it was all a dream, a torment of her imagination. Exhaling, she ran a paling hand through her hair as the doorbell rang and snatched away the remnants of her nightmare; because, honestly, there was nothing pleasant about it, something that left her shaking, grasping at a breath that always seemed to escape her.

And again, the doorbell rang.

She was not supposed to be up, but she'd rather rid herself of a pesky visitor than endure their ravaging any longer. Besides, she had to wonder who it would be considering no one ever came to her home. Part of her wanted it to be Henry, part of her was even hopeful that it was Henry despite knowing that it probably wasn't. But she was finding an unhealthy comfort in pretending, in ignorance-acting as though Henry would show, as if David was not hiding anything, as though people weren't waking up left and right and it could very well be a mob at her door.

Slowly, not really in a rush, she made her way down the stairs only to pause when she met the door. She could see pass the glass, passed the haze that had been glaring her vision for days. Not only could it be Henry, not only could it be a mob but it could be Snow-

It was...

Regina swallowed thickly, steadying her feet. No, she wasn't nervous. This was Mary Margaret Blanchard of all people but of course, she now had the annoying courage of Snow White, the pluckiness of an archer and the anger of a bitter woman who had her family snatched away from her. She was living her life-She had returned the favor and taken all that Snow had. Her love, her children-And though not intentional at first, it was an odd poetic justice.

Her hand touched the handle and she opened the door steadily, plastering on a smile that could be akin to a doll, a porcelain doll lacking the emotions or the want to deal with situations such as these. "Ms. Blanchard..." Her head fell to the side in mock curiosity, "what can I help you with?"

Mary Margaret opened her mouth to speak but the moment gave her pause; it stung really. It was a moment of complete comparison-She was on the other side of the home, she was on the other side of the fence. Until now, good had always won, so is this what losing felt like-the anger, the bitterness, the complexity of emotions that would strip any hero of their ability to be..the hero.

It's why the bad guys always lost.

Because the good ones can't handle it.

"Ms. Blanchard..." She called once more, snapping the woman out of her daze and forcing her back into reality, just as she had been forced moments ago, the sleep still lagging in her muscles.

"I um..." she turned and dug in her shoulder bag, fishing out a cream envelope that she extended in the woman's direction, gauging the line of her sight.

"What's this?" She eyed it wearily, hands still on her door rather than accepting the extended envelope.

"Well since you hand-delivered the invitation to the wedding in which you married my husband..." She pushed the envelope further in Regina's space, "I figured I'd hand deliver the invitation to my welcome home party.." Regina wasn't exactly shocked but she wasn't expecting this either; the backlash was soon to come, considering the fact that she thought David had talked to her already, that he had tied up the loose ends. "It's only fitting.." Her head mocked the Mayor's, tilting in the same curiosity, "Don't you think?"

Regina shifted her weight, no longer leaning on the door; she looked less threatening, in leggings rather than dress pants, an over-sized shirt rather than a blouse-she wasn't trying to intimidate her but, "No thank you," her eyes said it all, "I don't-"

"You know I'm not surprised..." She shook her head, holding tight to the invitation; her voice was beginning to tremble, she was beginning to tremble-standing in the face of the woman who had taken everything from her. "I don't know what kind of spell-" Regina scoffed, rolling her eyes as their conversation quickly went from nauseatingly amicable to dangerously on the verge.

"There is..." She stepped away from the door, letting go of her pretense-Who cared if this was a different world? The animosity hadn't dissipated, it had just shifted to another realm. "...no magic in this world. All the choices he has made, especially since his awakening, have been of his own volition-"

"He's not the David I know!" Perhaps she was a bit louder than intended but that's just how it came out, pronouncing the anger that she couldn't share. "The David that I married, that I loved wouldn't be with you..." She shook her head, tears constricting her voice, "..he would have come to see me, he would have been honest with me, he-" Her hand covered her mouth as it finally hit her, as it broke her.

If it wasn't a spell, if it wasn't magic, then it was him; he had changed. But true love was supposed to be eternal, it wasn't supposed to change, it was supposed to break curses, it was supposed to transcend realms and all it had done, all it seemed to have done was break hearts, transcending only feelings of pain and betrayal.

Her head shook with the tears that wracked her, clutching the invitation that she meant to slap in the woman's face, standing on her porch, weeping before her as though it were her last act, her last grief. What was happening? What had happened? How could things spin in such a whirlwind-sure it had been twenty-eight years but to her, to Snow White-it was just yesterday that she was in his arms, it was just yesterday that she bared him a child, that he held her hand and pushed the hair from her face.

And now, today, he held the hand of another.

"You..." She could barely get a word out, only being able to shake her head as she backed away from reality, from her Lodebar-a place where fantasies died and realizations served a notice you were never ready for.

The former Princess, the former Archer ran from the porch, feet picking up speed with each tear that stained her cheeks and reddened her eyes. She couldn't deal, not with this. The good guys couldn't handle this, the anger the bitterness, the good guys weren't cut out for this type of pain.

They couldn't handle it and stay the same; they couldn't remain 'the good guys'

X

She heard them come in, the hard press of boots against the tile, the giggles and laughs at the gruff imitation of a horse. They expected her to be upstairs, to be obeying doctor's orders but she wasn't. And why should she? No one else seemed to be honest, no one else seemed to be listening...

So she stood at the counter, emptying the steaming kettle into her mug, waiting for the onslaught that was sure to come her way. She waited, hearing Charlotte's feet run up the stairs followed by a familiar step. The opening and closing of doors, and then the loud call of her name to which she didn't respond. Setting the kettle aside, she pushed the mug to the end of the counter before climbing up on one of the stools, drumming her fingers on the granite as she awaited the inevitable.

"Regina?! Regin-" Her name fell to a whisper just as his steps closed and he spotted her in the kitchen, dipping her tea bag in and out of her cup.

In.

Out.

"Regina, what-how long have you-"

In.

Out.

"You're supposed-"

In.

Out.

"Regina.." He approached her, entering the small bubble of space she had. Her head turned away from him before letting out a shaky breath. Both hands on the counter, she pushed away from the island and got down from the stool with minimal difficulty; she just wanted to get away. Taking her cup with her, she turned her back to him and he knew something was off-just as she had known with him.

But she had chosen to live in bliss, a bubble of bliss that she was sure wasn't going to end well, that was going to end prematurely-And of course it did, of course others could live in ignorance and the minute she did, she fell flat on her face.

She couldn't do what other people did.

Regina Mills knew that she was not like other people, that other people didn't do the same thing and expect a difference. Other people couldn't do what she does on a daily basis, other people couldn't handle her heart, the mind-boggling thoughts, the juggling, the memories, the nightmares.

Most people can't handle her.

"You know...I never took myself for the naive type.." She set her cup down, swirling the tassel on it's side, the other hand holding to the base of her stomach-a familiar proclivity that she had picked up. "And I'm not, I just...I.." she never looked up, eyes transfixed on the bobbing bag of herbs. "I always choose to acknowledge what I should ignore and ignore what I should acknowledge-" A smile broke her seriousness but it was not one of happiness, but rather of bewilderment, disbelief stretching her features, "You had this..this look..in your eyes." She lifted her gaze to face his, glistening with tears that she refused to shed.

Not again.

"I don't...trust you.." She shrugged as if there was nothing to be done about that; she just didn't trust him. "You know that and yet you-you keep lying to me-"

"Regina-"

"Please..." She wasn't raising her voice; contrarily speaking in a soft and somewhat subtle tone, "because the more you talk, the more you lie and if you lie to me again, I-" Her eyes fell closed and she shook her head, choosing to exhale rather than speak.

He wanted to tread softly, in fact he wanted to sit her down before she got worked up but doubted that she'd go for that. "I didn't lie-What did I lie-"

"You said-" Her voice rose and he was silenced, not expecting her to come back so strong, "You said that you took care of it and I-I saw the look in your eyes.." She shook her head, backing away from the counter as the culmination of her anger began to hit the walls, "And who knocks on my door this morning?" Her small fist hit against the counter in a mock of her earlier encounter. "Your wife..." She let the words settle with him, both hands on her hips as she stared at him, gauging his limitless reaction. "Wanting to know if the Evil Queen cast a curse that prevented her husband from coming to see her-Because apparently, I took care of it-"

"Regina-"

"I took care of it-" Her voice remained at the same volume, no longer caring for his attempts to simmer her down, "now means that I'm going to look you in the eye and lie to you because I'm too much of a coward to tell you the truth..."

There was not much that he could say, not much that he could defend himself with, only left to stand there and take it. "If you can't even tell her that you want to leave then why the hell..." Her arms flopped beside her, not being able to understand, "should I believe that you do..."

"Regina that's not fair-" He did want to leave, truly he did. But he didn't want to fight with her while she was in the hospital and he didn't want to lie to her...but then what about Regina? He had lied to her without even blinking an eye.

"That's not fair? That's not FAIR?!" Her hands met the counter and he took a step forward, knowing that, even though the anger was directed towards him, she was nearing her breaking point. "Dammit, David-Do you want to know what's not fair? It's not fair that Charlotte doesn't know which parent she's going to wake up to anymore. It's not fair that you keep telling me one thing and giving me another-If you want to be here, BE HERE! But don't give me your body out of guilt so that your mind can wander off into the forest with Snow and her woodland creatures!"

"Regina, I told you what I want-"

"And you keep lying! What am I supposed to believe, huh? One day the sky is blue and the next day it's purple, in a couple days it'll be green-what, what kind of life is that?!"

"I didn't start this life, I-" Getting so heated, getting so in the moment that his words ran flippant and he hadn't a care to what was coming out of his mouth.

She shook her head with a scoff, "And that..." she promised herself that not another tear would fall because of him, because of this situation; unfortunately, with the tears welling in her eyes and the tightness in her throat, she doubted that promise would remain unbroken. "That is why this won't work..."

He completely deflated, met with her red eyes as the silence settled between them. Her pain, his pain, his lies, her truth-No one likes when it's all aired in the open, when the wounds that never healed are reopened and the issues that went ignored are faced with being dealt with.

"Regina..." He wasn't going to walk away, not like last time, not like the countless times and arguments before. "Regina, I love you..." He neared her and she didn't back away, only eyeing him as she stood against the counter. "And I know that you love me too.." He had her cornered, unable to walk away from him, to storm away.

She pushed him back, fists against his chest as she looked away, a tear slipping down her cheek, "Love isn't supposed to feel like this." It isn't supposed to be this painful, this agonizing. She knew that good things took time and work but this just felt cruel. Her fists pushed on his chest and moved from in front of him, not wanting to be trapped but his eyes, by his words.

At times she hated love, it felt so...manipulative. She'd stay when she wanted to leave, say no when she meant yes and yes when she meant no. It distorted her perceptions and altered her moral compass-Love, it's all she ever wanted, all she's done, all she's strove for was in the pursuit of or the vengeance for love.

And this is what she got in return; it's cruelty.

She paused, looking over her shoulder to a man that had nothing left to say, nothing left to excuse his actions. He couldn't grovel, knowing that it's not what she wanted, not what she needed. She needed security, she needed love-honestly. She needed love-holistically. She needs love-unconditionally.

And yet he had all the right words, but little action to show for it.

A kiss, an airing of grievances on a dusty supply room floor was not enough, not after all they'd gone through. When push come to shove, the insecurities would arise and they'd be forced into Lodebar-a place where fantasies died and realizations served a notice neither of them were ready for.

X

He shuffled his feet against the welcome mat, hands stuffed in his pocket as he waited. He had rang the doorbell and knocked on the door; now all that was left was for him to wait, wait and be patient, be patient and wait, wait for the door to be answered, wait for him to do what he should have done a week ago.

The blonde Sheriff swung the door open, recoiling when she saw who it was, "She's not home..." with her mouth set in a firm line, she wasn't budging, standing in the doorway as if to block any entrance he would attempt to make.

"Emma..." He heard her voice call from behind the blonde's shoulder, peeking her ears in the direction of the living room. "It's fine..."

Emma stepped back, allowing the school teacher to step in front of her, arms crossed over her chest as she sniffled. David nodded in acknowledgment, his hands coming from his pockets as he met her eyes, "We need to talk..."

She nodded, stepping back to let him hin, "...that we do.."


	18. Loved

He was looking at her and felt no need to hide it; he had always looked at her, he had always admired the beauty that caught his attention, that gave him pause when nothing else could. Ebony hair still fell like bangs to cover her eyebrows, snow white skin still glowed beneath the right light and lips, red as blood, still pouted softly when they spoke. She was the same, she was Snow, the woman he chose.

It was he who had changed.

Through new eyes, he saw her, with new thoughts, he perceived her. He was falling prey to the aftermath of his feelings, of his decisions; he couldn't say that he was upset either, that he didn't mind looking at her hair and just seeing messy brunette bangs. He didn't mind that her skin was rather pale, not admirable, but just strikingly pale. He didn't mind that there were red lips he no longer yearned to kiss, that he didn't mind being pouted because he paid no attention to them any how.

He had changed.

And she could tell; the atmosphere had changed in climate and she wasn't even told. There was supposed to be a chill when she looked into his eyes, there was supposed to be a spark and all that aroused with in her was betrayal, not excitement, not the staggering love that should have overcame her when waking up after three decades of missing him. Their love was dormant and should have been awoken just as she had. Only she woke up-But not to love.

She woke up to should have's and could have's and the disturbing parallel of a life she had envisioned for them being enjoyed by the one woman she couldn't have imagined. If it had been anyone else, perhaps the sting wouldn't be so bad, perhaps she could look him in the eyes without the agony of knowing that of all people, he chose to stay with a witch that took everything from her.

Regina Mills was the Evil Queen and there was no sugar coating it. Snow didn't care how many kids they shared together, how many nights they lied beside each other, how many times 'I love you' began and ended a conversation. For every child there was a betrayal, for each night there was a death and for every proclamation of love, there were dozens of happy happy endings she had demised.

"How..." There were so many questions, so many that needed to be asked and so many answers that she couldn't stand to hear at this point. The words in her throat were crestfallen, leaving her before the chance was even given to gather her thoughts. "...could you?" How could he forget her? How could he love someone else? How could he willingly stay with someone else? How could he not care to come for her?" How could he? "After everything..." She couldn't look at him, eyes roaming the floor as if it replayed their history, a past she never thought would be the only good memories they were to share. "She took..." her gaze lifted to his as she swallowed thickly, "...everything from us."

This had to be done, the questions had to be asked and the answers had to be given no matter how much it hurt. "From you.." His voice found a strength in what he knew to be true, what he hadn't realized until now. "But she..." He knew the absurdity of his decision, he knew that it made no sense to the outside world, that he was just as crazy as the decision he was making but, "she's given me _**everything**_ _..._ " His words forced her to look at him, forced her to see him...

To see that he had changed.

"And I..." He closed the small gap between them and found that, with folded arms, her eyes still glistened for a lost love and a stolen future, "I hate that it's at your expense but I..." Shoulders shrugging, he didn't know what else to tell her, how else he could explain it, "I love her..." The disbelief in her eyes needed no explanation, only telling in the fact that she stepped back from him, not being able to take the proximity.

Her arms uncoiled from around her as two palms pressed to her temples, trying to comprehend what he was telling her, what she couldn't bring herself to believe, "I-I don't understand, I-"

"Snow-"

"No!" Black bangs shook as her head did the same, refusing to take any type of placation. She didn't want excuses, she wanted answers. "This doesn't make any sense! You-you are with her because of a curse, what part of that don't you understand? You're suppo-" her voice was lost in a sea of her tears, an arm holding at her stomach as it contracted with each sob, seeming to rip her in half, seeming to rip her heart out, seeming to break her. "How..could you?" Was all that she could manage, bent over with wails she refused to disguise.

Only by hearing her weep, could he understand what he had done to her.

Looking up, she saw him making small steps towards her and she tried to stand up straight but the tears fell steadily down her face. Gently, his hand cupped her face, thumbing against the plum of her cheeks as stray tears fell into the lines of his skin. For a second, he saw the hopeful look in her eyes, the nostalgia glossing over brown orbs. She had missed his touch, the intimacy, the wordless love. He opened his mouth as though there was something to say but silence fell between him and he pressed his lips against hers.

Her eyes fell closed and tripped into his kiss, getting lost in a long gone feeling, in searching for something that she no longer had. He pulled away and found that his own cheeks were wet-but not from her tears; his own.

"Tell me..." He whispered, grazing her tears, "...that you felt something..." Her own hands stroked at his as they held her face, messy bangs, pale skin, and lips that no longer felt the same to kiss. "Tell me...that it feels the same..." She shook her head softly and her chest tightened, tugging at more tears to fall from her eyes as her shoulders shook with the revelation.

True love

had changed.

Her hands fell to her sides. Her heart fell to the bottom of her shoes. Her world fell from beneath her; she fell, she was falling and she didn't know how to stop. She couldn't help the sobs that ripped from her, that melted all the strength she could muster. "No..." She really did lose everything and anything she could have called hers. She had no friends, her daughter had grown up without her and now her husband was leaving her with no intention of coming back.

The witch had won.

Everything Snow had been accused of taking, Regina came back for with a vengeance, and she won. So it was a lie, the good ones didn't always win, those with the lightest of hearts didn't always get happy endings and all the waiting, all the deaths it took for them to be together collapsed in vain. A universal fairytale found it's end in a small flat in an imaginary town meant to rip the happiness from all who found themselves entangled with it.

She was devastated, utterly blown away by the few words that had been exchanged between them. Arms constricting her own torso, she allowed herself to wallow in the sobs, in the tears. She wanted to feel everything; she wanted to know exactly what had been done to her, exactly what had befallen her happy ending.

Because now, now it no longer existed.

"I think you need to go..." A voice spoke over the broken sobs and the heavy breathing, the wordless tension and the open wounds looming in the air. Indeed, it was time for him to go, to let her cry and let her mourn that which she could have had.

He stepped back and the obligation was gone. Before, he felt obligated to love her, obligated to see ebony black bangs, to see snow white skin, to see red lips waiting to be kissed. It was true love, soul ties that bound him to her and her to him... And well, something had changed. Even when his heart wasn't it in, his mind still was, his body still was...He had to be there, he had to with Mary Margaret, he had to maintain the fairytale...

Even if it was a lie.

He thanked her for the good years they shared, for the daughter she bore, for the love they had; he didn't throw it away. But in this world, in this moment, there was someone else.

So he took to the door, walking past green piercing eyes and blonde curls, feeling the resentment without even having to look her way. Yes, there was more to discuss, yes there were things to hash out, but at this point the best thing that he could do, the best thing for everyone

Was for him to leave.

X

The wind was brisk and uncaring if it flipped your scarf to cover your face or shook a perfectly good hairstyle into a messy shag. The wind blew and his hands balled in his pockets, getting the occasional smile from those who passed him on the sidewalk, those who he knew from before. It was odd to see them bereft of who they were, like clean slates, fit to be molded by this new world. He wondered if that's what Snow saw him as, a manipulated mold, not made from his own volition.

It wasn't true though, he couldn't believe it to be so. Their love was too...it was too _something_. He almost didn't understand it, the magnetism between them. Someone who didn't understand would look at them and say they weren't right for one another. They were like two hot coals that only ended up burning the other person anytime they got to close. Some would say they were too toxic, too damaging, and at a time he believed it.

But now, all he saw was a road they would have to travel in order to reach exactly what they wanted. The happiness without destruction, the laughter without tears, the love without anger. It was attainable but they would have to burn each other along the way, they would have to get stronger, they would have to get tougher. The storm that was heading for them would require it, require their strength and their durability. It was one that they couldn't endure alone and one that, if all went according to plan, they wouldn't have to go at alone.

"A charming day isn't it?" And the creator of most storms, the puppet master that never received the credit, that never took the blame for the heavy winds that blew and the rain that poured down,

"Rumpelstiltskin..."

"How bold, dearie..." This wasn't just a casual passing on the sidewalk. When the man turned on his cane, this was a stare down, a culmination of tensions that had been awaiting it's release. "For an oddity I can't pinpoint, the name..Gold has grown on me. I wouldn't mind if you kept referring to me as such."

David was silent, tipping on his toes and fighting the urge to throw the man against his own pawn shop door. Temptation was an odd thing, tricking one into believing that the best thing is the worst thing and the worst thing, well it's not so bad if you _really_ think about.

"Cat got your tongue?" The immortal but fallible man teased, leaning forward on his cane with a smirk that left mutual sentiments. "Or should I see Queen?"

"You woke up Sidney Glass and Albert Spencer...And you helped them wake up Mary Margaret.." This wasn't a game to him; he had helped them set this whole thing up. He was the leading domino in this chain of effects and that didn't fall lightly with the Prince gone Sheriff. "You knew where she was the whole time..."

Gold leaned back, tilting his head to the side as if he were listening to a child ramble. That attempt or fake attempt to listen that was skewed by mumbles that he couldn't understand...But he did understand. He knew exactly what David was accusing him of but he'd rather pretend that he didn't, because in this world, the world without magic, ignorance is bliss.

Ignorance is magic.

It makes that which is ugly, beautiful. It grooms love to avoid fallacies and allows happy endings without thinking about all the consequences. In this land, not knowing is the closest thing to a fairytale that we can get.

"What I don't get...Is why you would want to get your hands dirty.." The Prince rationalized, not caring that the man's eyes mocked him or his stance attempted to intimidate him; it wasn't working anyway. "Why would you involve yourself?"

He tilted his head back, pondering his thoughts before releasing a taunting tone. "Tis best to hide your cards thinking you have something than to show them and find you have nothing..." His smirk meant more and he knew it, leaving the Sheriff with a riddle to solve and a mystery to beat before limping off in the opposite direction.

And as expected, David said nothing. Though he was more concerned than confused-Gold only spoke in circles when there was something he needed to know but that the imp didn't want to tell him.

The rest of the walk home was left to ponder his words, almost wishing that he hadn't stopped at all; after all, the lack of knowledge does the heart and the mind good in the short run, allowing one more night to sleep tight, one more day of no worries.

Though he was tired of doing that, because the long run was always a disaster, Everyone he loved always got hurt, everything he wanted was always gone in the end and he was left pondering his mistakes, contemplating the decisions too far gone to change. He wanted honesty or nothing because it's what he needed, it's what his family needed if they were going to weather this storm.

It was passed dinner time but no remnants were left behind. He guessed that she had taken care of it, and part of him hated that she did; she was supposed to be in bed resting, and yet she seemed to be doing everything but. She was upset and when she was upset, she had to be up and about, her mind needed to do something to deflect from her heart. It was a consequence of loving so hard, of falling so hard and so deep that the only way to ease the pain was to ignore it.

_Oh, the irony._

After peeking in Charlotte's room and finding it untouched, he could only guess that she had spent the time with Regina. There were times when he marveled at their relationship, at how close they were. They looked the same, they acted the same, short tempered and sassy, both having him wrapped around their fingers.

He found a small pair of arms wrapped around a larger pair, Charlotte's face finding solace nuzzled into her mother's side as she slept. It was a sweet sight really, Charlotte seemingly glued to Regina as though she were the only source of warmth, but it didn't take long for one brunette's eyes to flutter open. He doubted that she was asleep when he came in and saw the pillows propped up behind her back, supporting the parts of her that were still sore and ached to give Albert Spencer what was coming to him.

Neither said anything; they had become a pair of silence, which could be a good and bad thing. Sometimes it gave them an excuse to hide things, an excuse to omit things for their own benefit, but it would be unfair to forget how comforting silence could be. When no words are needed and actions say what words are not designed to convey. Words can be cold, and numbed to proper perception, lacking the appropriation to say what a simple touch does. A graze of skin, a lingering gaze.

Not only do actions speak louder than words; they do what words cannot.

He walked passed their bed and disappeared into the closet, reappearing seconds later without shoes or a coat, just a receptive heart and a pair of eyes watching him as he disappeared into the bathroom, but not for long. He left the light on and came back out to walk over to the other side of the bed; Charlotte stirred at her father's touch, whimpering softly at the loss of contact that quickly disappeared when he took her in his arms, despite the silent protests form the other side of the bed.

He knew that she would never get any sleep with Charlotte twisting and turning every hour; she never did. Besides, what he had planned was best done with Charlotte under the covers in her own bed, in her own room.

Regina yawned into the palm of her hand, leaning back into her pillows as she wondered what he was up to, only to guess that he must be running a bath. She had showered twice already, once when waking up and again before getting into bed but the tension in her back was unresponsive to any attempt at alleviation. He was attentive and she acknowledged that, but it didn't change the simple truth of her not trusting him. It was a valid feeling, considering their history.

Lies, contempt and arguments yielded the only ting possible when, despite all, they stayed together.

He came back into the room, leaving the door with a tiny crack of hallway light before turning his attention to the brunette that eyed him. No, he wasn't getting off that easy, they had still fought and she was still disappointed but when he put his hand in front of her, she found herself faltering in that disappointed. Her eyes roamed from his palm to his eyes, and the effort he made was making was undeniable.

No one had made that effort in a long time; she hadn't been important enough. No one had found her important enough to fight for, to take risks for, to wait for. She was left, she was forgotten, she was given up on, she just wasn't worth it. And that, that was what hurt the most; she thought that he had given up on her just as everyone had. When he left and and took their daughter with him, she felt that again, she had been given up on. She wasn't worth fighting for, she wasn't worth waiting for.

And it seemed like, every day since he'd been trying to right that wrong.

So she took his hand.

X

They were mending and it would take time. At times it would be devastating. At times it would feel as though the wind had been knocked from their lungs and any attempt at catching their breaths was futile because life wasn't worth it anyway. At times it would feel as though they had tripped into an abyss and the walls and floors were dark alike, un-telling of which was which. Hell would seem never ending and bliss, unattainable.

But then there were these moments.

When it was intimate; when the stillness in the air was so calming and the simplest of touches meant so much more than an apology. Lavender tinged the air, the causing bubbles covering the water as she allowed herself to relax in his hold. It had been so long since they'd done this, since they had been so close, since they trusted the other enough to do it. At least this kind of trust was still there, the kind that let her eyes fall closed as her hair, held up in a clip, rubbed against his shoulder. Chest to back, not much could be said when actions said everything.

Her finger tracing the lines inside his palm, getting to know him all over again; his eyes studying her features as she did so, remembering her all over again. It wasn't that she was beautiful, though she was. It was't that she hadn't aged in three decades, though she hadn't. She was...vulnerable. She hadn't felt safe in so long that she didn't know how to respond to not being unprotected. He didn't need to tell her that he went to go see Snow, she knew. He didn't need to tell her that he sorted things out as best he could, she knew. He loved her, she knew, but it was actually one of the things that he still had to convince her of.

Between them, there was so much debris, there was so much anger; 5 years, they spent together with nothing more than a full mind, an open heart and a curse of secrets. They grew together, they laughed together, they loved together, they cried together-even when not in the same house. And that's why it was so hard to feel his skin against hers, to lay in his embrace; because it felt _too_ good, it felt too much like the love they had attained when ignorance was what provided their bliss. When him not knowing and her not telling was the best thing for them. But now, it was all out, the clothes were hanging on the line and they couldn't speak. But, every finger on a palm,

_You took something from me_

Every lingering glance,

_You lied to me_

Every sigh that pressed a back to a chest,

_You took something from me_

Every time eyes closed because tears were too close at bay,

_You were my friend_

Every tear that fell,

_You were my everything._

But it was too raw to convey that, it was too soon. There was only one thing that he could say that would be appropriate for the moment, that would seal all that they did say and all that they couldn't say, though the need was obvious. His lips lingered near her ear but said nothing, pausing to press a kiss to her temple instead. No, he didn't catch the tear that rolled down her cheek, that fell into lavender bubbles and went unnoticed; but part of him knew anyhow.

So when he did speak, it was a soft whisper that only she could hear, and only she needed to hear; "You are..." She was a lot of things but there were only a couple that he had tried to take from her, "...a wonderful person," her back shook against him and he held on, letting her go for nothing, "...an incredible woman...and mother...and.." he sniffled, kissing her temple once more as the tears fell from her eyes, "you're my wife..." After months of telling her that she wasn't, after months of denouncing their relationship and the products as nothing more than culminated accidents, after months and months of telling her otherwise, after months of her accepting it.

They were mending and it would take time.

They'd lie there for a few more moments and not a word would be spoken, for they were not needed. They'd get out and glance, towel off together, get dressed together, they'd lie again in the comfort of a bed that they once called 'ours' rather than 'yours' or 'mine'. It was a process that neither knew the ins and outs of; neither had gone through this before. They never would have guessed that it'd take a curse to bring them together, tear them apart, and mend them back together again.

The sun rose over them and she hid her face in his chest, blocking the light that peeked in, uninvited and unwanted. They didn't want a new day, a new day meant new troubles, new problems, new people. They liked the moment, to live there, to linger there-they preferred it after all to creating new ones when the ones they were in seemed so...peaceful.

When he tucked a strand of hair beneath her ear, she knew that he was awake and looked to up to see him, to see the concern in his eyes. They had lain like that all night, legs wound up, chest to chest and truth to truth. "Hi..." She was the first to speak, looking to him with a timid greeting, opening the door for him to be comfortable. She was safe, she felt safe; she was loved, she felt loved and he needn't worry about anything else,

They were already close, very close in fact; but out of regard for her, he dipped his head in hesitant search for her embrace. And rather than deny him, her palm met his cheek and her lips met his, a kiss that meant more than a morning greeting.

She pulled back, running a thumb over his cheek with a cursive stare, mind seemingly elsewhere. He could see that something had infiltrated her thoughts, steering her attention from him, from them, from that moment.

"What?" His question went unanswered for longer than he'd expect, as though the cogs in her mind had to turn before she answered him, still waking up with a grogginess that she had grown accustomed to.

"As much..." She kissed him once more, teasingly pulling away to continue, "as I want you to stay, aren't you supposed to be at work already?"

He shrugged, sinking into the pillows beneath them as if his whole body had fallen into a pout, wishing to woo her with his expressions, "I have some _home_ ," the hand on her waist pulled her closer to him, leaving no space to be seen, "..work to do..." A brow began ro rise and he was forced to resort to whining, blue eyes looking at her dark ones, "Can't I just stay here?"

X

There was blue everywhere. A cross between subtly baby blue and sky blue. He had gotten the painting out of the way, leaving the furnishings to be put together but he had to do so quietly, knowing that someone's hearing seemed keener than usual these days and he'd rather keep her in the dark for a bit longer. Fiddling with the wooden rails of what he guessed was the crib, he jumped back when the door creaked open, expecting Regina to still be in bed and Charlotte to be accompanying her.

Dressed in his school uniform, he closed the door behind him and was only satisfied when it clicked in response, allowing him to turn around to silently face the man that had a part in raising him. He didn't call him dad but he could, seeing him as a father figure for more than half of his life.

"What are you doing here?" He knew that school had started an hour ago yet there he stood, standing in front of the door with curious eyes and shuffling feet.

"This room is supposed to be empty..." Henry looked around at the blue walls, avoiding the eyes of the only other person in the room as if it were imperative to not look him in the eyes. He didn't want to; he was a hero and he had failed to live up to the fairytale, being his name, being his charm.

"You know we have to make room..." David added, playing along with him. He wasn't going to question him about school, or how he got away. He'd pretend, he'd allow ignorance to play it's game and spin it's wheels.

"Is that why you're here? To put..." His foot kicked softly at the boxes on the floor, "this stuff together?" His tone was hopeful and David knew that it was more of a loaded question than it appeared. He wanted to know why he was here. Why he hadn't gone with the fairytale in a dusty book that he had only given a second glance at? "She can do it herself, you know...She did it for me..." He mumbled, trying to believe that David's only purpose was putting up a crib, it had to be the only purpose; good guys didn't choose the bad guys.

Ever.

"Well..." David tapped the ground with the hammer, signaling for the boy to sit across from him. Henry did so, hesitantly and farther away than David intended, letting his untied shoelaces drag across the hardwood. "You know, I don't know if Emma told you but your mom was in the hospital too..." Dark eyes that had been elsewhere, met his briefly, turning away as if holding his stare would burn.

"So..." He was going to change the topic but David didn't mind, knowing that at least he knew, whether he chose to ignore it or not, "that's the only reason why you're here, right?" That damned hopeful tone reappeared and their eyes met, daring the other to bring up what neither of them had the gall to.

"You know..." David lifted his hand above Henry's open palm and dropped some screws, giving the boy something to do, "...you look a lot like your mother..."

His ambiguous stare gave way to a cheeky grin as he nodded, picking at the screws he was given, "I know, E-"

"Both of them," he added before Henry had a chance to discredit Regina. She was who he was originally talking about but rather than play the devil's advocate, he covered the situation with a proverbial blanket, not allowing any slip ups or excuses for Henry to act as though he hadn't been raised by someone who loved him for the past decade.

His smile fell, reduced to a child-like pout that David had worn not long before, only for different reasons. "She's...she's not my mom..." He mumbled, still not being able to look David in the face to say it to him. Each time he even thought about it, he looked away. Perhaps it was a male thing, not being able to directly disrespect his mother to the man that had treated him like his own son.

"You know...I think it might be time for you to come back home..." David added, looking the rails over before setting them aside to deal with the next pair.

"Wha-what are you talking about?" Henry's head shook, hoping that he didn't mean what he said, that he and him weren't on the same page.

"Well it's been a couple months and I know your mom misses you and-"

"But you sent me away because she's the Evil Queen! She's still the Evil Queen, how does that change anything?!" Henry stood, getting a bit upset. First he upsets Emma, and leaves Mary Margaret, now he's trying to bring him back to a place he doesn't want to be.

"I let you spend some time with Emma while your mother and and I sorted some things out-It had nothing to do with her past-"

"You're lying..." He stepped back when David stood, not really trusting him; he had chosen dark over light, bad over good and maybe just maybe, it was because he _was_ dark, because he _was_ bad.

He threw the screws to the floor, not caring where they landed as he opened the blue door, only to have David following after him, not letting him go that easy, "Henry!" He whispered harshly, not wanting to upset Regina if he didn't have to.

The young brunette picked up on that, knowing that there was no other need to whisper. He was protecting the Evil Queen-The Evil Queen didn't deserve to be protected. "You are NOT a hero! You are not my family!" He voice rose, purposely, uncaring of who it harmed. "And she-" He pointed towards the bedroom, "Is the EVIL Queen. Emma will break the curse," his head shook with determination. "I know it..." Glistening brown eyes left him as he ran down the stairs, punctuating his leave with a slammed door and an uncaring stomp.

David sighed, running a hand over his eyes as he realized that it would take a lot more to get through to Henry. The kid was ingrained with the notion that everything is black and white, everyone is good and bad. He had demonized his own mother in his own mind and David was a part of that, they all had a part in that. Hopefully he wasn't too far gone to realize the truth, to realize that he could have two mother's without casting one away.

She had to have heard him, though the door was closed, the walls were thin and much had escaped from that small hallway, he knew it and he knew she knew it. Approaching the door, he was met with big curious eyes, similar to Henry's only softer. "Where'd Henry go?"Seeing her stand in the doorway, David bent over and picked her up, hoisting her on his hip before blowing raspberries on her cheeks.

Hopefully she hadn't heard.

His eyes glanced over to where Regina sat, edging the bed with blinked back tears and an attempt to hide the pain that she felt, the hurt. They say a mother is never supposed to lose her child; that's why the parents are supposed to go first. But what happens when the connection is severed? When the emotional and mental turmoil has all but killed you, longing to connect to a child you once swaddled against your chest, that once sucked on your finger for comfort. How much more can you take before the loss feels unimaginable? Till it feels like a death?

"Daddy, who's the Evil Queen?"

Unfortunately she _had_ heard.


	19. Mother

Charlotte Gracelynne Mills-Nolan was a curious young girl. She rarely heard the word 'no', partly because she was a little stickler for rules and was spoiled senselessly. The outdoors gave her a scare, preferring the heat of curling into her mother's side or the comfort in the crook of her father's neck. With dark hair and big brown eyes, she was the spitting image of her mother, carrying her temperament and sass. She was gentle, she was kind; she hated to see others upset and when she was upset, the Earth nearly stood still. You could never tell, and just like her mother, she hid it behind shrugged shoulders and silence.

Allergic to nearly everything that made childhood ah-mazing, she liked baking 'special treats' with her mommy since those were the only deserts she usually got. Waiting would usually include a good round of horsey, and hearing the astute Mayor spur like mare. Anything for her little girl, she'd say.

And Charlotte had no qualms with that.

Fortunately, like her father, she was easily distracted. From the Evil Queen to the funny looking panda in her coloring book, she could go from one thing to another. Perhaps she'd be reminded of it later and ask again but in the moment, wondering why panda's look like they have eyes on top of eyes was her main concern.

"She's coloring..." The door creaked behind him, seemingly mocking the slow footsteps he took towards the foot of the bed. She sat on the edge, sniffling softly as two fingers did the job of a Kleenex, wiping below her eyes at the subtle tears that threatened to stain her cheeks.

No, she wasn't going to sob; in fact, she was surprised that she had any tears left to shed and the well wasn't dried up. It was a sore spot if anything, a finger twisting in a wound that had yet to heal and ruthlessly pricked at her heart. So a few tears fell but she pulled it together, eyes blinking rapidly as she held up a hand before any advances could be made. She didn't want to be consoled and she really didn't want to be held-wait, that was a lie.

She did want to be consoled and she did want to be held.

She just didn't want to be disappointed. Allowing herself to be consoled involved staining his shirt with her tears, with the depths of her hearts and trusting him enough to not throw it back in her face.

And she didn't.

Allowing herself to be held involved pressing her head to the beat of his chest involved having the confidence to know that it would always be there, that it wouldn't leave, that it wouldn't stop.

And she wasn't.

"I um..." She smiled weakly, letting her glistening eyes say what she lacked the strength to. "..don't." She could see it in his eyes, the desire to hold her close, and he previously had-that morning he had. But this was different; when vulnerability set in and stability felt shaky while two legs felt like one, she couldn't depend on someone she didn't trust.

She knew that she had fell in before, only to end up in the deep side with no one to offer a life preserver, no one caring enough to swim out and save her. Not wanting to drown again, not willing to feel as though breathing was a challenge, she was guarded with him and sometimes it hurt but it was also necessary.

His nods were light though he continued towards her, seemingly denying her the only thing she asked for. When her eyes met his in a warning, he didn't see a scowl or a death glare, but...fear. Fearful of being hurt, fearful of being dropped, fearful of letting him in.

So he sat down beside her.

"David..." Her whispers were reminiscent of a plead, requesting the last bit of peace she needed to heal herself, yet denying the last bit needed to heal both of them; trust.

"I know..." He knew the boundaries: that he could hold her at night but in the light of day all the cracks seeming to have healed, coincidentally resurfaced. So his palm laid flat on her thigh, offering the most comfort he could give her, that could handle the cracks in the surface.

X

Understandably, she needed some time alone and he respected that. She had gotten used to dealing alone, and while there, he would have to get use to earning back what they had lost, what he had taken, what she had taken. It was a process that neither of them knew the steps to. They hadn't been on this road before and the journey would indeed be rocky but heeding each other's sensitivities was one of the ways to make it a little bit easier.

So with Charlotte hanging on two of his fingers with her own tiny ones, they strolled the corridor of the Sheriff's office, a smile plastered on her face. She never got to visit her daddy at work, usually going to play 'may-o' if need be. But David had an errand to run and he'd only be in the office for a second to pick up some reports, so little Charlotte tagged along.

"Daddy?" She peered up at him, calling out sweetly to elicit his attention.

He smirked, knowing that tone better than most. It was the same one Regina had used the other night when she asked for her special salad.

At 1 am.

"Yes, Charlie horse?" He pushed open the big glass doors and led her in by the fingers that held onto his thumb.

"What's my favorite cookie?"

He paused, giving it a thought before adjusting the bow on her head, "Hmmmm.." He tapped dramatically on his chin, "Is it...sugar cookies?"

"Uh huh..." She nodded, her smile growing larger as she lifted a brow, an eerie trademark of the person whom she spent the most time with.

He laughed, hating and loving the fact that even she needn't use words to communicate what she wanted. All she needed was to skirt around the issue and bat her eyelashes and he was putty in her hands. He could only be grateful that the one on the way was a boy, unsure of how he'd handle a house full of females that he'd indulge any wish to.

"Tell you what..." He bent down and in one swoop, she was in the air, giggling as he tickled her sides, "Maybe we'll go by Granny's and see if she has her 'special' cookies for you, okay?" It was a nice gesture, Granny having slaved over the perfect recipe that was conducive to Charlotte's allergies after what happened before.

"I thought you weren't coming in today?" David turned around as Charlotte's laughter died down and she was settled near his hip, turning with him to find his co-sheriff, his other daughter; the savior.

"Emma-"

"You're not staying right?" She didn't want placation, not with the way she felt. Not with the way he reopened her wounds only to not notice and leave her stinging, burning with a second abandonment. No-She couldn't afford to think like that, to be jealous of a cursed life, of a cursed family. But the first time he claimed he didn't have a choice, he HAD to send her away.

Well what was the excuse this time?

"Hiiii Miss Swan..." Charlotte waived shyly, calling the blonde Sheriff by the name she had heard her mother call her, not even noting the first name that usually came from her father's mouth.

"Hey..." Emma swallowed; she couldn't hold a grudge against a toddler that hadn't done anything to her, that was only an indirect variable in this situation. "..Charlotte." She gave the girl a weak smile before turning back around, going into the Sheriff's office that they both shared, that was the only thing that could separate the two besides the resentment between them.

David knew; he knew that he had hurt her but he didn't know how to fix it. He couldn't go back to Mary Margaret and that really wouldn't be a direct way of approaching THEIR problems. She had her own reasons, stemming back to being put in a tree with only a ten year old boy to care for her. He couldn't help but question where the other half of the resentment laid; if she was blaming Snow or it all rested on him, the man, the father, the head of the household.

The point of the matter was that she was wounded.

"Look what Auntie Ruby got you..." David reached in the top drawer of Ruby's desk beside them, pulling out one of Charlotte's infamous distracters.

The coloring book.

"Here..." He sat her in the swivel chair and she looked at him curiously, telling a change in the atmosphere but really not knowing the cause. She couldn't understand. So when a crayon was placed in her hand, she did what she did best: she colored.

Leaving Charlotte where he could keep an eye on her, he went into the glass box, usually known as a nicely isolated only today it feel like a glass box, fogged up with words no one was willing to say. "Emma-"

The blonde shook her head, walking to the file cabinet with a manila folder, "David, I don't want to talk-"

"Emma I know you're upset-" He wanted to fix things, he wanted her to know that her cries haven't fell on deaf ears. He wasn't ignoring her but things had to be taken one step at a time, one person at a time. Everything couldn't be handled at once, and in the process, he hadn't forgotten about her.

The cabinet that she had opened slammed with a punctuation he hadn't expected, he didn't know how deep this was, how hurt she was. "You don't know..." Her eyes met his, shining with the pain of a lost child, tearing with the pain of a lost woman, grieving the loss of a family she never got to have. "You have no idea what's going on with me..."

Which was true. He had no idea, absolutely no idea. The only thing he could do was sit back and take it because the truth was expelling from her, not lies. He hadn't taken the time to search her heart, to dig deep within her, too busy digging deep within himself, within his marriage.

"Don't...Don't come here and act like you know me, like you're my father..." The word fell on a hush, a hush that wouldn't dare pronounce itself because it stung enough. The pain was there, the remnants had no choice but to remain. "You...you didn't give a damn about what I felt before, when you just threw a bunch of fairytales at me and told me they were a part of who I was!" She sighed, tugging at the loops of her jeans, attempting to keep a cool that she hadn't had for a long time. "You just wanted me to take Henry so you and Regina could work out your farce of a marriage-And it is..it is a farce because you're married already..." She ceased his protests, holding up a hand, just as he had seen earlier.

"Emma, I...I didn't mean to-" He didn't mean to throw it on her but it was a lot for everybody. She wasn't the only one grappling with the new realizations. His whole life turned out to be some type of chess games and he could barely look himself in the mirror. He had just found out that he was laying with a woman that cursed any and all that he knew.

Everyone had things thrown on them.

"And then you have the audacity-To stay in the SAME hospital as your WIFE, and leave me, your supposed daughter, to tell her that her husband is shacking up with another woman..." Her eyes darkened, noting the anger that was rising within her. "That was NOT my job...You were supposed to end that relationship, not me." Her head shook at him, keeping the tears at bay. "And you don't even care...You just prance around with your new family...your daughter-You don't know what my favorite ANYTHING is because you don't care, you just..." She drew a shaky breath, refusing to yield to her anger, to her disappointment. It wasn't worth it; to wallow in the sorrows of something she couldn't obtain anyway. "You just don't care."

She didn't want fairytales, she didn't want enchanted forests, Evil Queens or magic trees of transportation. She wanted a mother, she wanted a father, she wanted a picket fence and a house.

She wanted a family.

And he seemed to be taunting her each day with what she wanted but didn't have. He had the daughter, the wife, the child on the way; he even had the picket fence and seemed to have no remorse over her lacking for it all, her missing out on it all. And that was part of the forgiveness that she couldn't give him. She couldn't give into letting him know that apologies did anything to mend the damage in her heart.

"Just...just get what you need and leave." She didn't want to look at him and honestly, it hurt to look at Charlotte. It was childish, it was low but she couldn't help feeling a bit jealous. She could help but wonder if he would have put her on his hip, ticking her sides and promising sugar cookies.

She couldn't help

But wonder

If.

X

"C'mon Charlie horse," Once again, he was holding a glass door open as the bells chimed above their heads and announced their entrance into the diner. Granny's eyes peeped over her glasses as she stood behind the counter, handing Ruby a bag to which she turned around, ignoring the Sheriff as though he was just air to look through. Before he could even process her subtle hostility, little hands pushed at the back of his calves, causing him to stumble from the doorway and further into the diner. "Char-Charlotte, what are you-"

He sighed, connecting the dots the for the small shy toddler. "Charlie come say hi to Ruby..." The once werewolf took a curious glance in his directions, watching as he coaxed a toddler from behind his legs, big brown eyes being the only things visible as she stretched the material of his jeans to hide her face.

David chuckled nervously, looking at Ruby with a sheepish smile and hands literally behind his back. "She um...she's missed you..."

"Awww..." Ruby cooed, a hand covering her heart as she looked at the little hands that held tight to David's jeans.

"But..like her mother, she doesn't know how to admit it.." He wriggled his legs to loosen her hold, "..so she hides.."

Ruby's lip poked out in mock sadness as she put her takeout bag down, a keyring on her index finger as she bent down in front of the Prince's legs, outstretched arms coaching the small May-o from behind her father. "There we go..." She picked Charlotte up in her arms and kissed her cheek with a wide grin. Charlotte's response was Kodak worthy, giggling wildly as she cupped Ruby's ear with her small fingers. Leaning in, Ruby's smile grew as the small whispers filled her ear. "She wants to know.." She paused, feeling Charlotte's palm tap her cheek so that she could finish relaying the message. Ruby laughed, waiting until the whispers stopped to finish. "...if Granny has her special cookies.

"Oh-" He opened his mouth to catch the attention of the diner matriarch only to have Ruby's hand on his arm, keeping him from continuing.

"Granny, do we have any of Charlotte's sugar cookies made?"

"Coming up!" Granny gave the toddler a small smile before heading back to the kitchen.

David turned to Ruby, eyes begging the question of why he was stopped, why he couldn't approach a woman that had been like a mother to Snow and-

It was self explanatory.

"Is she...wait a minute, she's Granny, Granny, isn't she?!" He exaggerated, hands mocking a crossbow from Granny's archery days

Biting her bottom lip, Ruby put Charlotte back down so that her two feet were on the floor yet her hand still clung to her keys, "Turns out my trigger is her trigger too..."

David's eyes wandered, attempting to look everywhere but Ruby's, to hide the fear in his eyes. "I um," Easily distracted, he looked down to see Charlotte's hand waving at the windows; but no one was there. "Charlie, who are you waving at?"

She giggled as Granny came back from the kitchen and handed Ruby another paper bag, casting another glare in the Prince's directions. Ruby handed the bag to David and Charlotte reached for it, her mouth setting into a pout when he wouldn't let her reach, "Charlie, who was it?"

She grumbled, coming down from her tippy toes with a pout, "Henry!" David looked back, no trace of an eleven year old skipping school again, only an empty sidewalk and a speeding black Mercedes.

Black Mercedes.

Wait.

X

Contradictions. They seemed to surround her, leaving room for breath nonexistent and the concept of freedom far fetched. She knew what she was supposed to do but always found herself doing the opposite. Her words and actions never seemed to match up and just, just when things seemed to be fine-they were oh so far from it. Contradictions, misconceptions, failures of the mind and black holes of reality, it's what she lived in. Perhaps slivers of light found their way in but she felt as though she was just jumping from fallibility to fallibility. It didn't feel good, it didn't feel safe, but it was so common that it felt right.

That which was wrong felt right;

Oh, the contradictions.

She was speeding in a quiet town that she was Mayor of; she was supposed to be in bed, maybe even sleeping, but she found herself on the edge of a leather seat with her hands gripping firmly to a matte steering wheel.

No, she hadn't given birth to him, but she loved him. She raised him, she nurtured him, she did the mothering and yet some were still intent on negating it. She could mother him but she wasn't his mother. For a decade, she was his mother but the second blonde curls bounced into her life she became nothing more than a temporary fix in his life, holding a place for the real thing.

He was supposed to be in school not at the playground. The attendants were supposed to call her, not the Sheriff. Without the right connections, she'd probably be ignorant to anything that had happened, eyes and ears everywhere being one of her lasting strong suits. So when her tires cracked against the crushed gravel, she was prepared for the contradictions, she was prepared for the misconceptions, she was prepared for battle.

But not one of 2 against 1.

"Aren't you supposed to be instructing children on how to color inside the lines?" Her question was directed at the pixie haired school teacher but her eyes wandered to her son, nursing an injured knee and crimson stained uniform.

Emma snorted, a hand leaving Henry's shoulder as she approached the Mayor, thunder seeming to roll in right behind her. "Go home, Regina; we've got it from here." Their eyes met and for a moment, just a moment, it was a battle of the wills. Who would snap first? Who would yell first? Who would be the first to lose all sense of composure?

Regina nodded, pressing a fiery tongue to the inside of her cheek ans she fought to maintain what little sanity she had left to deal with these types of situations. She felt spent, as a person, as a woman, as mother-just spent.

"So let me get this straight, Ms. Swan..." Hands balled in the pockets of her open coat, she stood a foot away from the blonde and her mother, fearing neither of them. There was realistically nothing they could do; the town wasn't awake, they were but they had to live in the bubble that was her world, her game; her rules. "Henry skipped school this morning, something I suspect your..." her eyes narrowed indistinctively, "..friend, his teacher, failed to tell you because somehow, after leaving my our home he ended up here...on the playground...injured..." She leaned forward, a brow cocked and a doubting smirk playing on her lips, "Yes, I suppose you do 'have it from here' when you can't even get him to school in the morning."

"Regina, you-" Snow paused as if she were deciding if she really wanted to get involved, if she could even look the woman in the eyes without repressing violent urges. She decided that she could. "You don't get to talk to her like that, she's his mother-"

"I'm gonna be in the car..." Henry mumbled, holding the bandages to his knee as he stood up cautiously from the bench.

Regina eyed his movements, catching the brief eye contact between him and the Sheriff, the small glance, the approving smile she gave him. Approving what, she asked herself as he walked passed her without a second glance. Approval of throwing people away? Of treating people that care about him, that love him, as glass to look through, just there for decoration?

"Henry..." She had backed up, she had let him have his fun but she didn't like this. Prolonged distance does nothing but add dormancy to their issues,to what they couldn't talk about. How wide would the gap get before someone said anything about it? "Get in the car...my car.."

"What!?" It a simultaneous threesome from all present Charmings, eyes wide as they looked at her. She was unmoving, not even turning her back to meet her son's eyes, in turn, choosing to mock that of the princess and the savior's.

"Regina, you have no right..." Snow shook her head, stepping closer, dangerously closer.

Bewilderment took hold of her features as she took the audacity of her enemy to heart. She had no right? No right? "I have every right to do as I please when it comes to the best interest of MY son. Henry-car, now."

Henry turned to Emma, hearing the sounds of crushed gravel behind him as a brown truck pulled up to the scene, telling of a moment that was bound to come. Silence struck between them, bystanders watching, children backing away, wind howling and three women with no intentions of backing down when it came to the young boy standing between them.

"Everything alright?"

She couldn't help but silently curse his presence. She wanted to handle it alone, to assert herself without having to consult him, to independently make the choice rather than being faced with a quadruple Charming and an uncertainty of the way the chips would fall.

"Everything is fine..." She responded, never turning around as Emma's steps closed the gap between them, fear nor reticence resting between them. Just hostility, anger-resentment, a powerful combination.

Before Emma could defend her motherhood, a voice spoke over them and Snow turned away, not wanting to hear his voice; Emma smirked and Regina was frozen to her spot, seething beneath the face she had to wear. "Regina-car, now."

Her head whipped around, brows scrunched as he came closer to the group, "Excuse me?!"

He dipped his head near hers, whispering discreetly as she shifted her weight to keep from losing her feet on the ground, her sanity, her control. "You're supposed to be on bed rest-I don't know what happened but whatever it is, I'll take care of it. You make a scene-I take you the car myself. Now I'm asking you...Regina, please get in your car..I'll handle it."

His words finished playing in her ear and she never even flinched, breathing evenly as her ears reddened with the anger, the tinge of embarrassment, the desire to smack the words form his mouth. To do what was wrong for what was right or do what was right for what was wrong; that is what she was faced with.

Once again, oh the contradictions.

She looked over Emma only to see the smug indignation of victory, as if her retreat was equivalent to signing Henry over to her. Snow's eyes averted, probably due to the proximity of her and David but she could care less about Snow's level of comfort. Henry leaned towards Emma, straying back to his path with a light limp as he bent forward with bandages to press to his knees.

It took everything, absolutely everything for her to walk away. Every step, every movement seemed to drain the pride from her, drain the color from her. All she could do was peek in David's truck to see that Charlotte was sound asleep in the back and all that was left for her to do was get in her car.

As she was told.

"Whatever is going on, can we discuss it in a more private setting?" David questioned, stepping forward when Regina walked away.

"I have to get back to the school.." Mary Margaret made haste with going around the group, grabbing her bag from the bench as she made a run for it. She wasn't ready to face him and that was understandable. It would take time.

But Emma, they had just talked that morning. Or more, he was lectured and she aired her grievances, her disappointments. "There's nothing to talk about...He's my son and I'm taking him home."

David rolled his eyes, really not wanting to do this but he leaned in anyway; Out of earshot from Henry, he said the only thing that could bend her will. "Legally, Regina and I have custody of Henry and if you take him without our say so it's abduction. If you-"

"What the hell is this? Blackmail?" She stepped back, eyes wide, "What? Send your mistress to the car so you can do her dirty work?!"

"Henry, get in the bug..." Henry stepped back at David's word, making it there as fast as he could with his minor injury.

"I am telling you what will happen, whether it's through me or Regina...It. Will. Happen..." He shrugged, not wanting to go there but it was true. Regina would go guns-a-blazin' without a care to whose head was lost in the process. "I know you're still upset but maybe if we can-"

"Henry...Is the only reason why... I don't care about resolving things with you right now and I damn sure don't give a rat's ass about resolving anything with Regina. But Henry shouldn't have to live in a state of tug-a-war 24/7...I'll come when I'm ready.."

And she turned a back on him.

Crushed gravel sounded once more and Regina was pulling out.

Mary Margaret was gone.

And he stood, in all the contradictions.

X

When he came in the door, he knew there was something waiting for him. Charlotte had to be put down for her nap and when she was, he had to find what was waiting for him. What was stirring in a pot of anguish, anger, maybe even rage. He had reevaluated what had happened dozens of times and could almost pinpoint what was going to happen, what he was going to get burned for.

One step into the kitchen.

White knuckles held to the edge of the counter, a rocking motion keeping them glued to the surface as she waited, head lifting when his boots hit the linoleum. She looked up with red eyes, but she hadn't cried, she hadn't shed a tear. She was angry; legitimately angry-

That's what was waiting for him.

"I am NOT Snow White..." Her tone was low and guttural, cutting him like a double edged sword as he stood on the opposite side of the counter. Her eyes never left his, barely blinking so that he got every word, every sentiment that she was throwing at him; he would miss nothing. "Don't ever-"

"I was worried about you-"

"DON'T YOU DARE!" She yelled, tired of feeling as though she were in the wrong, the guilty party, the left rather than the right. "Don't you dare trivialize this and turn it on me-I-I was worried about MY SON! Because I am HIS mother..." She shook her head, leaning on the counter, "And you come over there and talk to me like I am a CHILD in need of supervision-What the hell..." The yelling had ended and the low scolding returned, "..did I tell you about telling me what to do?"

Brows knitted, face red and eyes nearing a black, the counter was the only thing keeping her from throwing things. She was upset, she was embarrassed and it angered her that her feelings only doubled upon his arrival. He did nothing to make it better. Before he even had a chance to response, she pushed herself off of the counter and stormed out of the kitchen without a second glance in his direction. She couldn't look at him without wanting to hurl the nearest thing at his head, so it was for the best.

He took his lashing, shifting his weight. He'd wait for her to calm down, he'd talk to her then. She was too upset to have a calm conversation and he figured any interaction would make things worse, so he'd-

She wasn't a screamer but when the sudden yelp hit his ears, his body was reacting before his mind was. Near running out of the tiled kitchen, his eyes found her on the floor at the bottom of the stairs, palms flat on the floor.

"I-I tripped...I'm fine.." She heard his steps but she didn't want his worry, she didn't want the contact. "I caught myself-I-"

She didn't have a chance to deny him, his hands finding her back, her waist, any support she needed to sit up. "Regina-"

"I'm fine..." She shook her head, holding steadfast to her stomach as he brushed the hair from her face, looking over her body for any cuts in her clothes or skin. "David..."

She just wanted to get up from the floor and when she called out to him, he figured that out soon enough. His hands reached for her sides and she was hesitant, still angry, still fuming, yet still holding to his arms as he pulled her to her feet. Finding her footing, she exhaled slowly as she grasped the reality of the moment, not wanting to panic, not wanting to make something worse then it was.

She just

Fell.


	20. Native I

_The air is crisp and the wind whips the leaves passed Granny's doors. The doors chime above Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop and silence remains on 108 Mifflin Street. All is the same, all is constant; nothing changes, nothing differs. The air is always crisp and the wind always whips the leaves without remorse-nothing is new and a cursed stagnation looms._

_Until a yellow bug comes sputtering down the road._

_It was an ordinary Tuesday, a day in which Henry was supposed to walk home from school after a daily dose of 'happily ever after' indoctrination. A pixie haired woman, with an odd ere of royalty, spoke about birds and the three R's and back home he went._

_Back home he was supposed to go._

_The air had been crisp. The wind had whipped. The bells had chimed and nothing had given the predilection that anything would be different. Keen on all the happenings about town, the Mayor had no reason to suspect that anything would be more than ordinary, more than...Storybrooke._

_It was Tuesday, comic book day and a DC masthead peeked from her leather purse as a dark-haired toddler trailed beside her with the usual pep in her step. All, in fact, was the usual. When her Mayoral duties were complete, Charlotte was picked up from daycare and to the silence of 108 Mifflin they went, for the normal, the usual._

_The usual entailed dropping in on a disgruntled son, knowing that they hadn't been on the best of terms. Though, a smile tugged at her lips when she ascended the steps to find that he was courteous and hadn't left his sneakers there for someone to trip and fall over. The look on her face, however, was laughable as the realization washed over her that he hadn't been courteous at all; there was nothing duteous about his actions. He wasn't there, he wasn't in his room-_

" _Henry?!"_

_He wasn't in the house._

" _Henry?!"_

_He was gone._

" _Henry!"_

_And from that moment on, the usual was gone too._

_It was a Tuesday, so the Deputy usually returned home earlier than usual. No night-shift, no midnight-rounds, it was off to Mifflin, off to the silence, off to the usual. Like always, his truck sputtered on the first try and a jiggle to the key was needed to get the engine going. Crayons rolled around on his backseat with each turn, remnants of a dark-haired toddler coloring on a bumpy ride._

_He'd open the door and dinner would hit his nose before he could hit the wooden floors, a scent of home greeting him before he stepped in. He'd hear tiny steps running towards him and listen to the grumbles of a disgruntled son, exchanging glances with his wife. It was what happened, well...what usually happened._

_Until, mid-route, his phone rang._

_Peering down at a blue screen, a name flashed across that caught him off guard. They were a truly peculiar couple, not calling unless there was an emergency or a conversation that couldn't wait. They tended to touch rather than talk, show rather than speak. So when she called, with the intention to talk, to speak-it had to be an emergency or a conversation that couldn't wait._

_And that was unsettling because, well, it wasn't the usual._

" _To what do I owe this mid-day pleasure?"_

_He loved to tease her, to earn a reaction from the repertoire of one's she had. It was no secret that she was a complex character with layers he had yet to discover, so at times it was hard to resist poking the fire, picking at the layers to see what he could uncover with a tease, a remark, a few words._

_Though, this side wasn't brought about by her teasing. The edge of anticity in her voice had nothing to do with a snide remark. The fear struck in her tone was in no way related to a meaningless remark-it was something else._

_An emergency; a conversation that couldn't wait._

_He knew all too well about the roller coaster that was the relationship between mother and son. The absence of closeness between the two, the presence of tension-all of it was impossible to ignore. In fact, he was usually the mediator between the two, scolding one and consoling the other, and vice versa...or both...most of the time, it was both. Point is, the mention of Henry and the tone of her voice was enough to alarm him._

_But he was calm, he was cool, he was collected-he couldn't afford to be anything but. He did what she asked, not calling anyone but Graham to join him in a search that she thought was futile. He didn't know that there was a curse, that there was a barrier between their town and the outside world. He also didn't know that Henry was one of the few people in the world that could cross it._

_That's where her fear stemmed._

_Yes, her son had run away and that alone was enough to scare any mother; however, she was robbed of the comfort of knowing that he was still in Storybrooke, by her own curse. If he really wanted to leave, he could, and considering the way he was acting as of late she wouldn't be surprised if he did. So not only had he ran away, on Tuesday, comic book day, but he had run away and she was almost certain that he had left Storybrooke._

_The one thing that he didn't do, however, that she had asked him to was to not come home. She told him to stay with Graham and be on the lookout. He was on the lookout but he wasn't about to go sit with the Sheriff while he waited for Henry to turn up at the station. Graham needed to be out looking and David would join him soon enough._

_But first, the sputtering of the engine had to stop, the crayons had to stop rolling around in the backseat and he had to face the silence of 108 Mifflin Street._

_There was no homey smell, no running toddler, no disgruntled son and the only glance he got from his wife was scornful and tear stained. "Did you-Did you find him?" She spoke with a lost hope, voice trembling as though she knew the answer but couldn't help hoping for the latter._

_When he opened the door, she seemed to be waiting for him, sitting on the steps waiting for news, waiting for something. And when he couldn't tell her what she wanted to hear, when he shook his head and told her an answer that she didn't want to accept, he was given her back as she turned to walk away. "Regina-" was all he needed to say to push her off the edge, an edge he didn't know she was standing over._

" _What, David? What?" She turned around and gave him her face, a look of being incredulous. She was a mess, eyes red, barefoot and paling with each passing second; she was terrified, terrified that her little boy had ventured into a world too dark to imagine and she could only sit idly by and wait for a fruitless arrival._

" _Breathe..." Was all he could tell her, inching towards the emotions that surrounded her. It was always eerie, really, to see her upset. Because not only was she upset, the atmosphere that surrounded her was upset, the wind seemed to be upset, hell the paint on the walls seemed to be upset-everything she touched, everything she saw was inevitably effected._

_Eerie, but ignored._

" _Breathe?" Her features contorted with her question as she faced him, arms smacking against her side. "Breathe? I can't breathe-I can't-What if he's not breathing?" She had no idea where he was. "What if he's lying in a gutter somewhere and when I asked you-When I asked you to look for him, you didn't even-" Her eyes fell to the floor as her chest un-puffed, her fists unclenched and the atmosphere settled. For a moment, there was silence, an unexpected, pregnant pause in which neither spoke._

_It didn't take long for her to break the silence that she began though, stepping into the shoes that waited for her at the bottom of the steps. "Never mind," with one hand on the wall and the other dipping the tip of her foot into a high heel, "I'll do it myself," she shook herself and resigned to a silent anger._

_She had a penchant for shutting him out, for closing the blinds when things got too heated and she'd rather silence sit between them then words that would later be regretted. Tension of that kind was preferable than tension of others. Usually he'd let her go upstairs or go wherever and walk away from him, let her simmer and come back-He knew it wasn't for the best but he'd let her do what she wanted to do because it was simply..what she wanted to do. Who was he to fight her on what she wanted to do?_

_Well that day, that Tuesday when he asked himself that question for the umpteenth time, he actually had an answer._

_He was her husband._

_He was someone that cared far too much about her to watch her stir in an anger that wasn't worth it, that could easily be resolved. He knew that in her anger, she longed to be understood but resigned herself to the notion that no one would care to ever understand her, to dig deep within her thoughts and actions to find the root of her issues, the root of her upset._

_What he didn't know was that the root of her issues, the root of her upset was something he couldn't fathom if he tried; a cursed life he'd have no knowledge of for months to come._

_So in that moment, when he knelt in front of her and pulled at the heel that she had put on, normalcy found that it no longer had a place. "David.." When her futile whispers fell on deaf ears and he took off the other shoe that had just been put on, the usual was something that would be hard to come by. He wasn't accepting her resignation, her anger, that wouldn't help them find Henry, or even find themselves._

" _Fighting isn't going to solve anything..." She knew he was right, "and it certainly won't help us find Henry," but she'd be damned to admit it. Her silence and downcast glances were enough to tell him that he was right, that she knew what she wouldn't say but accepted it nonetheless._

_The breath that she let go was heavy, sputtered just like his car and seemed to roll around in her chest like a bunch of loose crayons. There was a weight and the longer he looked at her, the heavier it got, the more apparent it got. And it wouldn't go away until she talked to him and he stop staring at her, waiting for the resignation to stop, for the anger to simmer down._

" _I went... To the store and I-It's comic book day so there were...some new editions..." Another sputtered, rolling breath and she looked him in the eye, telling more with wet eyes than angry words. "He's been waiting for the edition for months..." She shook her head, before using her hands to dramatize his excitement..."Batman vs. Superman.." Shaking fingers moved about as though it was a big deal, an epic showdown that couldn't be missed. "I bought it for him but he's not here because..."_

_She needn't finish. It was more than comics, more than graphic art and heroic stories-Her son was gone and before he left, he made it clear whose fault it would be. There were no breakfast nook talks, and the drive to school was filled with silent glances and empty sighs. Dinner was awkward and saying good night was a thing of the past-She couldn't help but think that he wasn't there because of her, because he didn't want her._

_Once more she had lost someone because of herself, only this time she couldn't pinpoint what she had done. She knew that she wasn't the perfect mother but things seemed to be fine, least of all Charlotte wasn't complaining._

_What she wouldn't admit was that the usual had been broken months ago, now was just a time of acknowledgment._

_She'd never forget the end of that day, after hours of sitting and waiting for a call, for someone to tell her that they had found him. It was 8:15 and Charlotte was just put down, David having offered to do what Regina couldn't bring herself to. He had left and searched until Graham sent him home, telling him to keep the Mayor company until they were able to find something. So on the couch they sat, together, his hand over hers and her heart skipping the beats that his had. In sync, in fear-but together._

_The gravel shifted, shuffling was heard outside the door and he was hot on her trails, holding the door when she swung it open. "Henry!" It was the fourth time she had yelled his name that day, and for the last time it was out of relief. Her heart wasn't heavy, it wasn't troubled-It was relieved. Her steps bounded down the walkway and she pulled him closer. He always smelled of apple and crayons, a bit of her and a bit of him. It was rustic enough for a kid but sweet enough for a kid that was hers, that she had groomed and that she had raised._

_That day he smelled of leather and the city._

" _I found my real mom!"_

_And normal ceased to exist._

**X**

She just

Fell.

She was upset, and when she's upset, everything feels the uproar. She was off balance; a child the size of a head of lettuce was sitting on her equilibrium. She wasn't paying attention and tripped over her own two feet but she caught herself, she threw her hands out and let her palms catch the brunt of her fall.

The shriek she let out was involuntary, one of fear, one of not knowing what happened or what was going to happen. _This is why you're supposed to be on bed rest_ , was all that she could think to tell herself as the pain in her back, that she had just rid herself of, began again. It was a sudden jolt, a jolt that set much more in motion that she would or could understand.

She just

Fell.

And began more than she could imagine.

The doorbell rang and his hands were still on her sides, still holding, still comforting in the silence that used to be Mifflin Street. They made the most progress in silence, when excuses weren't an option, when yelling wasn't an option, when glances and skin to skin contact was the only way to reach one another. In silence, intimacy was prone to grow.

And thoughts ran rampant.

He'd look at her and she'd wonder if there was love or pity in his eyes. She'd touch him and he'd wonder if it was only to avoid holding his gaze. Was intimacy an excuse in itself? Did they hide behind glances and touches to avoid talking about what limited those glances..those touches?

She didn't like to talk because she always ended up revealing a piece of her heart. In an attempt to avoid it, she'd end up revealing how shy she was, how cautious she truly was-In an effort to hide herself, she only showed herself all the more. Could he handle that? All of her? Previously, she had given him what she wanted him to have, not all that he should have had, all that he could have known.

She didn't think he could handle her urges to fall back on what she knew, to find solace in a darkness that had kept her company in the nights that no one would.

He didn't like to talk because he always ended up saying the wrong thing. Sometimes he felt like he didn't know how to talk to her anymore, he didn't know how to communicate anymore because she was no longer his shy but hot-tempered wife. She was more than shy, she was afraid and she was more than hot tempered, she was broken. He knew she thought he didn't understand and maybe he didn't, maybe he didn't compute the complexities within her. And if he didn't, then talking would only make it worse.

He didn't think he could talk to her, truly talk to her, without taking them back three steps after struggling to get to two.

So their thoughts just ran rampant on a Tuesday, the day that used to be comic book day.

"You should...You should get the door." Her eyes met his and he realized that he was still holding her close, still reveling in the intimacy that seemed to be all they had. From that stemmed, love, affection, nostalgia, true...something; they just hadn't figured it out yet. They were still lacking the faith to believe that they could carry on, and the trust to know that they could depend on each other to carry on together.

That was the usual for them at this point; trying to love but not knowing how.

And again, the doorbell rang.

"David..." Her gaze left him and drifted to the foyer and he nodded, slowly but eventually letting his hands leave her. She wouldn't admit that she missed the comfort, but guessed that he knew already.

"Are you alright?" He didn't care how impatient the person in front the door got, it was the person in front of himself, that he was worried about. When he nodded, he pressed a chaste kiss to her temple, a small sigh of relief escaping him when she settled into it rather than stiffening at his touch.

"Go..." Her fist pushed at his chest and he pulled away, letting her lean on the railing as he walked away and answered the ringing call of someone that was bound to be annoyed.

"Let's get this over with..." It was Emma, red-jacket clad, Henry by her side, princess curls galore, Emma. That was fast, really, being that it was less than an hour that she said she'd come when she was ready.

Perhaps, an hour was all it took for her to be ready.

Henry ducked beneath David's arm and walked passed him, into the house without as much as a greeting. Throwing a glance at the Savior, he shrugged his shoulders and stated what he guessed everyone was waiting for, "I'm gonna see Charlie..."

Regina paused, being the unintentional block at the bottom of the stairs. He stopped in front of her and she couldn't help but note the changes. He was a bit taller, he didn't tuck his shirt in his pants anymore, he smelled of cinnamon

And leather.

"Charlotte's...asleep." With a short smile and a hand pressed to her back, she tried to act as though nothing had transpired, as if the difference between that fateful Tuesday and this Tuesday was nothing; it was nothing but a blur. "Why don't you wait in the study while we talk, hmm?"

David closed the door behind Emma and Henry turned around, head inclining towards the blonde Sheriff with a nod, seemingly an unspoken question. Looking back at Regina, he gave her something of a lop-sided smirk, tipping his shoe of the stairs before he told her that, "I don't have to listen to you anymore."

His face? Smug.

His tone? Victorious.

The look on everyone's face? Priceless.

"Mom, can I go see Charlie?" His eyes flickered over to Emma, who shrugged in response as if she didn't care where he went, as long as he didn't leave the house.

Grinning as if he had won a prize, Henry went for the stairs only to have a hand grab his shoulder, retracting any steps he took to advance. "Go sit in your mother's study, I'll come get you when we're done." Henry stood, agape looking at David as if he was expected to be on his side. He had no one to deflect from, not another male-figure to look to. Perhaps he could pull those tricks with his mother, but not David, not the man that had grown to be his father.

"Now, Henry." He huffed, reminiscent of an annoyed teenager and spun on his heels, running towards the study so that a door could slam and their talk could begin.

The tired brunette winced at the action, attempting to brush off his attitude, but unable to let go of the notion it implied. He didn't want to listen to her, he didn't think he had to listen to her. He didn't want to respect her, he didn't think he had to respect her. He didn't want to be around her and he certainly didn't think he had to.

He found his real mom.

She scoffed, rubbing at her temples that began to ache with every illogical thought that entered her head. "This is ridiculous..."

She turned her back to the Savior and her father and Emma rolled her eyes, hands sticking from her pockets. "This is ridiculous?" She questioned, "I didn't ask for this 'meeting.'"

"The fact that we have to MEET is just the tip of the absurd iceberg in this situation." Emma squinted and Regina's hands smacked against her sides, giving it to her straight- "I shouldn't have to meet with ANYONE about matters concerning my son, because he is MY son. The fact that you think giving birth and a ten year absence gives you, even an iota of parental rights just tells me that you're more witless than I thought!"

Emma's mouth set into a thin-line, understanding each hidden insult, contorted into her rant. She didn't come to be insulted or demeaned and she damn sure wasn't going to take it without dishing it back. "You are just as sick and twisted as I thought if you think that what you did for him was anything close to being 'a parent'. You lied to him, you locked him in this house, you trapped him in this frozen, BIZARRE town and you-"

"Hey!" David's voice boomed in between them and Emma's fell silent, eyes never leaving the woman's of whom she came here for. "Why don't we have a seat and try to discuss this civilly...Yelling won't solve anything..."

Not on that Tuesday and not on this Tuesday.

The women were unmoving until scathing looks ceased to matter and no longer needed a referee. Regina took the head, Emma sat on her left and David sat on her right: a meeting that was closer than comfort would allow.

"We have to come to a median..." David began, shaking his head at how far the bickering had gone, how long the anger and resentment was allowed to stir.

"No we don't..." She was addressing him but her eyes met Emma's in an indirect confrontation, "There is not a judge in this town that wouldn't grant me a restraining order after what she's pulled-The last thing I have to do is compromise with her-"

"Oh c'mon Regina, get off it! Every judge in this town is in your pocket and the minute they realize what you've done, not one of them will hesitate to go for your head!"

She rolled her eyes, scoffing at her implications, "We're not here to discuss the curse-"

"Well we might as well, considering it's the reason why we're all here. And here's the thing," she leaned forward, kicking out her chair a bit, "Henry found ME, Henry ran away from YOU to find ME. After years of having no friends, feeling ostracized and alone with friends that never grew up-And by the way, that's traumatizing-He was tired of your rules and your lying and he found me-TO GET AWAY from YOU! I didn't seek him out, he sought me out! And I wasn't going to stay until you lied to me and told me that you loved him because that's obviously NOT true."

Rather than retaliation, a low chuckle is heard between the three of them as the Mayor covers her eyes, shoulders shaking with amusement, "I'm sorry..but this-this is too funny."

"You have no soul-"

"I'm not laughing at the situation," her chuckles dried up, "I'm laughing at YOU.." She dropped her hand and met brown with blue, "I'm laughing at the misconceptions you seem to hold so near and dear to excuse your horrid behavior. Ms. Swan, let's start at the beginning, shall we? You got pregnant, you got arrested and while incarcerated, you gave birth to a baby boy that you immediately gave away." Her hand met the table for emphasis. "You gave him away to a system that you yourself complain daily about having been in. At 3 weeks old, that baby boy came to me and I took him in, I adopted him, I took care of him and every time he needed me, I was there. You-" Her finger pointed in the blonde's direction, "Have no right to talk about a time that you were absent from his life. You. Were. Not. There-And that was your choice-You don't get to renege on that choice and come bouncing back into his life to save the day-"

"He wouldn't need saving if you weren't an insecure witch that cast a curse on an entire realm because she had a little PMS. It's like you're completely blind to the truth-You couldn't see that he was depressed or needed friends, you just shoved him into therapy because he outsmarted you-"

"I put him into sessions with Archie because he wasn't talking to me!" The tone had changed, the atmosphere had changed. "He wasn't talking to David, he wasn't talking to anyone and he needed to talk to SOMEONE. If the only person in town he would talk to was ARCHIE, I set up weekly meetings with him so that Henry could have that chance-I didn't know that your imbecilic mother had given him a book of lies until AFTER your grand appearance and you'd be a fool to imply otherwise."

"So are you just going to skirt around the fact that he knows you killed people? That he knows what you've done-"

"I-"

"You tried to kill his grandmother, hell-she tried to kill you!" Emma's hand waved at David, who blinked up in response, lost in their arguments. "You are a liar, a thief, a murderer, and a witch that has no business being around my son-or any child for that matter." An extra punch for extra sting. She turned to David, giving him the light of day for the first time, "And you let her do this-completely blind to everything that was going on, you couldn't even see that there was a problem. Even when you woke up, you still ended up back in this house like-"

"We're not discussing our marriage, Emma...We're discussing Henry." He was quick to shut that subject down, not giving into any sub textual conversation that she wanted to have. Not in that moment, not on comic book day.

"Your marriage? Your marriage?!" Now it was her turn to laugh, shaking her head at his seriousness? "You call this fucked up relationship a marriage?" She looked at David, "She cursed you and tried to kill you and even after realizing it, you went back to her like nothing happened so she could continue having your kids and you could ignore the fact that you're already married, to MARY MARGARET no less. You just completely abandoned the fact that you have another family for the comfort of going back to what's easy-which is apparently dealing with a murderous witch 24/7..."

"Miss Swan..." Regina spoke before David had a chance to, "we're here for Henry..not your daddy issues."

"Regina-" David started, knowing the root of Emma's anger, having heard it all the morning before.

"I'm done fighting you..." She leans in, eyes wide and tone serious. "If you don't release Henry to me, I'll pursue you criminally and that will be that."

"Regina," he interjected, "That's not a good idea..."

"Then what is a good idea? Letting this woman, who hasn't known Henry for even a year, take him without so much as my consent and act as though I haven't spent the last decade as his mother?! All of that just because she's your daughter-"

"No, not because she's my daughter-"

"He hasn't been in school consistently because he's been skipping-with her knowledge-he's been insubordinate and his attitude has gotten worse since being with her because she doesn't discipline him!"

Emma opened her mouth, "I"

"You don't!" And Regina was hearing none of it.

"Oh please Regina, you act like you're the 'Henry whisperer'," she spoke with mock air quotes, "You discipline him TOO much! Thank God I got him when I did, so he doesn't end up completely screwed like the others that don't have a chance to get away!"

And that did it for her.

Regina opens her mouth but nothing comes of it. She knows herself. What the blonde doesn't know is that she's struck a chord, a chord the Mayor doesn't like to talk about. The fear of Charlotte being so similar to her mother...too similar to her mother. _Will she grow up just like me? Will she stray into the darkness?_ There was the fear of another son, another life in her hands that she could mess up. Not to mention how horrible the brunette already felt about Henry, wondering each day what she could do differently, _How to bring him closer?_ These are fears that have been called out and labeled. Her kids can't escape because they're biologically hers and subject to her ineptness as a mother. That's what she was saying.

There is no hope.

Henry will always hate her.

Charlotte will be just like her.

The baby...a lost cause.

All her feels wound up in one accusation.

That's what she was saying.

For the first time, Regina is struck speechless by the crass that is Emma Swan. Since that first Tuesday, she'd been willing to go head to head and fist to fist but this time, this time she has no words. She can only resign herself to sitting back in her chair, a cricked jaw and drummed nails on the wooden table speaking for what she couldn't.

"Emma, I think you need to leave..." For a second, she almost felt alone, like this was a storm she'd have to weather by herself. She expected him to leave her by herself because that was his daughter, his flesh and blood, his little girl. What she didn't expect was for him to stand up and show her the door. "And Henry stays here..."

The look on the blonde's face is past bewilderment, past disbelief-She's just shocked but the look on her face doesn't last long. From surprise to anger in 60 seconds. "That's-That's not what..."

He was already at the door, unlocking it to lead her out. The surprise on her face didn't faze him; the shock in her eyes didn't faze him. But she knew she had to go because she didn't have the upper hand...legally, she had to go because Henry was theirs.

Realistically, he was theirs as well, but she wouldn't admit it.

"I'll call you later..." Her eyes met his and she could barely shake her head, seeing him sucked into the world that was Regina Mills-That's all she saw and that's all she heard; him lacking the backbone to stand and the stamina to stand alone. His actions were nothing but another blow to their relationship and she wondered why he seemed to be at peace with that.

But that question was for another time.

He closed the door behind her and locked it, waiting for the click to sound before walking away. Once again, his concern lied with the person in front him rather than in front of the door.

She was stuck, literally stuck. Though the blonde knew none of her fears, she spoke as if she knew all of her fears, all that remained mere tainting thoughts in her mind. So she was still, elbow propped on the table as her hand curled in front of her mouth and nothing could be said.

"Where's Emma?" Henry opened the door of the study, having heard the door shut and now, out of curiosity, wanted to know the source.

"She had to go.." Henry scrunched his brows and ran to the window, no longer seeing her yellow bug parked out front. "You're gonna stay home tonight..."

"Home is where Emma is-"

"Henry..."

"I don't want to be here!" That was all it took for her to turn around. She pushed her palms off of the wooden table and stood, slowly teasing at the ache in her back, but nonetheless rising from her chair.

"Henry..." When she approached him, he took a step back. He seemed hesitant, scared almost. She bent the best she could, trying to get on his level so she wouldn't intimidate him or feel as though he had the deck stacked against him. "I know...you want to go with...Emma, but she'd not here right now."

"Why'd you make her leave?!" He questioned, thinking that her tone was mocking him rather than soothing him. It was supposed to help, not hurt.

"Henry, I didn't make her leave." She was already brimming on the edge of upset before talking to him, but she refused to cry, not here and not now. He'd think her tears to be disingenuous anyway. "She said...We both said..some unpleasant things to one another and to...avoid a bigger fight, David asked her to leave and she did. I didn't make her do anything."

Brown eyes flickered from the Mayor to the Sheriff, his surrogate-father, to his rejected mother, blue to brown, heart to heartache. "I'm gonna go see Emma..." He made a run for the door and she grabbed his arm, not letting him go. He wasn't going to run away.

Not again.

"Henry-"

She pulled him closer and he pushed back, hands jutting out at her side to keep her away from him. He didn't want anything to do with her, and he certainly didn't want to be closer to her. She stilled and dropped her hold, having felt him push against her. Brown met brown and for a second there was silence, his labored breathing and the filling of their eyes.

"I don't want to be here..." His yells ceased to be and left in its place the broken whispers of a hurt boy. Just as his mother, he bit his lip to keep from succumbing to his emotions; he didn't want to cry, he wouldn't.

He ran away and let his actions speak for what he wouldn't say.

When the distant sound of his door slamming hit her ear, she winced in her attempt to stand up straight from her bent position. A tear escaped her but that was all, she rubbed a callous hand down her cheek and acted as though it never existed. She was used to this rejection, the impassive view of her own feelings.

"You should lie down..." His voice was there but she wasn't...She had long left the moment; it was the only way to keep herself upright. Ignorance had spoiled her, allowing her to ignore present even when she stood in it. Ignorance was grace, time to process, a bliss that was short-lived, but nonetheless bliss. It provided the lost normalcy that she longed for..

For a moment.

They were 'in the moment' people. Lacking the hope to believe that there were future moments able to provide the same joy, the same happiness. Often settling with the unpleasant cards of life, it was a rare sight to see them reaching for more, hoping for more. Who would have thought fairytale prince Charming would abandon his hapless optimism in favor of the practical reality that the real world.

_**Sneak Peek for Chapter 21: Native Part II** _

"Are you okay?" She glanced up at his shadowy form with a shrug. He had asked but she wasn't sure if he truly wanted the answer to that question. It seemed as though they lived from angst to angst, issue to issue and drama to drama. There was no peace, there was no moment of rest. That's why she cast the curse, to have that moment of rest, of reflection-With everyone living in ignorance, there was supposed to be no one to raise hell. But that was slowly changing, with each life that came alive, part of hers was taken.

The price of magic, the price of the curse: a hole that can never be filled, that can never be mended. It was intended to leave her going from angst to angst, from issue to issue-closure was not a part of the deal. She supposed that it was a flaw of hers, never reading the fine print.

Though when she thought about it, when she signed onto this curse, it said nothing about Henry...or Charlotte or the little guy that ceased to rest within her. A soft finger traced against the curve of her stomach and she knew, she knew that this was definitely not in the fine print and she couldn't say that she'd trade it for anything.

All the pain, all the issues, all the angst-It was all worth it.

Worth the smile on Charlotte's face each morning, worth the flutter in her belly and the hope-though small-of getting Henry back. So when he asked her if she was okay, the answer was no-on the surface. The argument with Emma, the tears the welled up in Henry's eyes, it all amounted to her being near the edge of a cliff that she hadn't seen in a long time. She was exhausted and feeling the consequences of not heeding doctor's orders; physically and emotionally she was not okay.

But she'd get there.

For once in her life, she knew that the darkness wasn't all that she had; for once she had love in more than place.

"I'm worried about you..." His whispers made it to her and she nodded gently, eyes flitting up to meet his as he sat on the bed beside her. She didn't move, too comfortable lying down to do so, which he knew, so he stayed where he was. She knew that he was concerned, concerned that she was angry with him, that she was angry with Emma-that she was angry with everyone, which was a sad and lonely place to be.

He wondered if she was there or just teetering on the edge, waiting to be pushed over or held back.


	21. Native II

"Are you okay?" She glanced up at his shadowy form with a shrug. He had asked but she wasn't sure if he truly wanted the answer to that question. It seemed as though they lived from angst to angst, issue to issue and drama to drama. There was no peace, there was no moment of rest. That's why she cast the curse, to have that moment of rest, of reflection-With everyone living in ignorance, there was supposed to be no one to raise hell. But that was slowly changing, with each life that came alive part of hers was taken.

The price of magic, the price of the curse: a hole that can never be filled, that can never be mended. It was intended to leave her going from angst to angst, from issue to issue-closure was not apart of the deal. She supposed that it was a flaw of hers, never reading the fine print.

Though when she thought about it, when she signed onto this curse, it said nothing about Henry...or Charlotte or the little guy that ceased to rest within her. A soft finger traced against the curve of her stomach and she knew, she knew that this was definitely not in the fine print and she couldn't say that she'd trade it for anything.

All the pain, all the issues, all the angst-It was all worth it.

Worth the smile on Charlotte's face each morning, worth the flutter in her belly and the hope-though small-of getting Henry back. So when he asked her if she was okay, the answer was no-on the surface. The argument with Emma, the tears the welled up in Henry's eyes, it all amounted to her being near the edge of a cliff that she hadn't seen in a long time. She was exhausted and feeling the consequences of not heeding doctor's orders; physically and emotionally she was not okay.

But she'd get there.

For once in her life, she knew that the darkness wasn't all that she had; for once she had love in more than one place.

"I'm worried about you..." His whispers made it to her and she nodded gently, eyes flitting up to meet his as he sat on the bed beside her. She didn't move, too comfortable lying down to do so, which he knew, so he stayed where he was. She knew that he was concerned, concerned that she was angry with him, that she was angry with Emma-that she was angry with everyone, which was a sad and lonely place to be.

He wondered if she was there or just teetering on the edge, waiting to be pushed over or held back.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He settled down beside her, propping an elbow on a pillow as she laid on her back, and his question lingered in the air. Her eyes fell closed and for a moment she couldn't help herself, the tear that escaped her being solemn and alone, the only one of it's kind. With a shuddered breath, "...no.." was her answer and silence was all she had to offer, hands steadily feeling at the curve of her stomach.

"You're worried about me but," She exhaled, giving him a teary smile as she turned her head, "I'm worried about him." She rubbed below her navel, feeling a light kick in response that prompted her to continue, "...he's been through a lot lately."

David sighed, his hand covering hers without the hesitation that he had months before, hesitation to act as her partner, as the safety she wanted, the stability she needed. The hesitation was gone, and the tension was simmering among other things; "Well he's strong...son of a valiant Prince and...vivacious Queen.."

Her sniffles were interrupted by light chuckles as she peered at their hands before turning to meet his eyes, her own being teary yet her lips curved into a smile. "Vivacious? Is that supposed to be an adequate substitute?

He shrugged, "You know I don't do well on my toes."

"How about the son of..." Her eyes rolled up at the ceiling before gleaming with a tinge of excitement, something to take her mind of the angst that loomed outside their door; "...David...and Regina?"

"Hmmm?" With his hand still covering hers, he leaned into her space and she didn't flinch, perhaps even leaning in as well.

"That's who we are now..." The tears never left, nor did they fall-they just remained there, a constant reminder of how close she was to the edge, and how close he was to keeping her from it. "No titles...No kingdoms...Just who we are-He'll be strong because of who we are...rather than what we've done..."

He searched her eye for a reticence that usually resided, a hesitance of some sort and found there to be none; only sincerity searching for sincerity. "Is that what you want?"

She nodded softly, looking only at blue eyes that assured her of the future and of the present. She didn't want their son to be held up to the standards of their past lives; they weren't those people anymore. He'd be strong because his parents taught him to be strong, they'd lead by example-he'd seem them fall and see them get up, he'd see them struggle and see them succeed.

That's what she wanted.

The night was quiet and she had yet to succumb to any form of sleep. It would appear to have claimed her but her eyes were simply closed, adjusting to the lack of light, the lack of peace. How could she sleep when, mere feet from her, her own son couldn't look her in the eye? She wouldn't pretend it was easy, she wouldn't pretend it was comfortable, that having her son short of 'I hate you' was something that she was proud of. So sleep evaded her, the night was still and the Sheriff snored beside her.

She envied that, the peace about him. She supposed that was the good in him, the serenity to lack the burdens that weighed her down. With a glance in direction, his mouth was open and his arm was sloppily draped across a pillow he had claimed as his own.

Not her ideal form of sleep, but peaceful nonetheless.

He was "Prince Charming" after all, a fairytale and in essence, lacking the onus reality that she had given him. With the curse, when taking away their fairytale, she gave them reality. It was a gift on layaway, to be opened in twenty eight years; a boulder would fall on everyone's shoulders soon enough, their lack of happy endings, the impact of reality-it would hit them.

But for now it only hit her.

It was an unction really, almost intuition, that brought her thoughts to a hault. The gnawing feeling in her gut was immediate, something that stirred her mentally but stilled her physically. It was a blessing and a curse, to get these feelings, to anticipate the inevitable before it's fruition.

Stealthiness was a hope and a prayer in her condition, unable to sit up without shifting the bed all together. A long snore ceased and sputtered and she held her breath, wishing her sleeping bear back to his slumber. When nothing moved, she sat up with much needed effort, eliminating half the battle until a soft voice, trodden with drowsiness passed her ear.

"Regina..."

She didn't move, she didn't speak. Maybe he was talking in his sleep.

"I can see you.."

She sighed, needing no light to be snide in her response. "It's pitch black, David, you can't see anything."

David huffed under his breath, rubbing at his coaled eye as he sat up. "Regina, why are you up?"

She squinted, the white's of her eyes being barely visible as she turned to look at him. "You know, my actions aren't always irrational."

"Honey-"

"Don't..." She stopped him, "..don't call me honey, you never call me honey because you know that I hate pet names yet you only do it to placate me so don't-" Her tone was sharp, cutting even, yet it only took a moment for her to deflate with a sigh. Relenting to the ache in her back, she laid against the headboard with a defeated breath that inclined him to wipe at his other eye. He'd need to use both of them if he was going to crack this conundrum. "Is something wrong?" He wondered allowed.

She met his eyes, following their line of sight with a shake of her head. "No..." She shook her head, touching a hand to the phantom kicks that kept her awake in the first place. "I don't know...I just..." She laid down upset and sat up frustrated, knowing the cause of neither. "Something's wrong..." She stated it as thought it were a fact, as if she knew without a shadow of doubt. Drumming at her stomach, she shrugged and met his curious gaze once more, "I just don't know what..."

With a elbow propped on the pillow he drooled on moments before, he inched closer, covering her drumming his hands with his own as if to silence the cogs turning in her head, "is that why you were sneaking out of bed?"

"I was not-" Her haughty protests were futile when his glare seared hers, beating her at a game of her own invention, "I was going to check of Charlotte...and Henry..." He opened his mouth and she waved her hand, wanting to finish, "Only to check on them, I just-I couldn't shake the feeling-"

"That something was wrong?" She nodded silently and he returned the favor, flipping the covers off of himself. He understood her anxiety and he didn't doubt it. That's one thing he had learned being with her: never doubt her instincts. "I'll check..."

"Don't wake them up-" She added as he walked towards the door.

"Don't get up..." He teased, throwing a smirk over his shoulder. She scowled and he chuckled, "no point in giving me dirty looks because like you said, it's pitch black and I can't see anything anyway."

"Sometimes my tolerance for you wears thinner than I thought possible..."

"Ditto," He paused to look at her, "...honeybun."

"David-"

"I'm going," his hands flew up in surrender, "I'm going.."

And he did go, quickly closing the door behind him at the sight of what caught his attention. She looked like a panda, hair in a braid wearing thick white footie pajamas that kept her warm as she held Mr. Bear to her face. He didn't want to give Regina the chance to see her, knowing that if she knew Charlotte was up at this time of night, she'd get up regardless of any caveat.

"Charlie horse, what are you doing up?" She sniffled in response, letting her bear slip from her face to reveal tear soaked cheeks and red eyes that alarmed him in the least. Charlotte Mills didn't cry; extract the rare tantrum and occasional nightmare and the kid was tearless-So at 1 in the morning, tears were of a concern.

She was unresponsive, eyes shifting to the ground as she dropped Mr. Bear to the floor, dragging him against the carpet. Her little feet moved quickly, grazing the floor fabric for fabric until she met his legs to bury her face at his knees. "Char..." Her name was lost in translation as he lifted her, feeling her arms find his neck like a vice grip, dropping her bear in place of her father, the only cuddly bear she wanted.

"Hey Charlie...if you stop crying I'll give you the last turnover from-" The bargain being offered was paused and futile, seeing as he froze on the spot. He had a turnover on a napkin in one hand, the book in the other and a face stained with guilt.

"Henry..." It was a warning really, a knowing one in fact. It was almost as if he knew what the boy had done but was warning him nonetheless, disbelief taking over in place of logic.

"I was just getting her a snack..." A nervous grin plastered his face as he shifted his feet, stepping away from the staircase. "Right Charlie?"

Charlotte was unresponsive, her face hidden in the crook of David's neck. David peered down at her, rubbing a hand over her back in an attempt to sooth her stuttering breaths. "What did you tell her?"

Henry shrugged, "I didn't tell her anything," even though the book was right in his hand.

"Don't lie to me..." He warned, taking on a tone that he only used when Charlotte was in tantrum mode...or her mother was.

He scoffed, "You know you're not my dad, right?"

David furrowed his brows, a bit taken a back. Not about what he said but how he said it, an air of arrogance in his tone and smirk on his face. So he'd give it back-he wanted to be a grown up? If he wanted to talk like he was on the same level, then he'd treat him as such.

"Yeah, but I'm the closest thing you've got..." He held a hand to Charlotte's back as he leaned forward, shaking his head as he made himself clear, "And as that thing in your life, I'm gonna tell you right now-I don't like your attitude.." Henry's mouth clamped shut, his foot kicking at the carpet-that's all it took really, a stern talking to from someone he couldn't guilt into silence. "So I'm gonna ask you again-What did you tell her?"

Henry shrugged, eyes boring into the carpet as if it held a face and eyes, "Regina..." He mumbled.

David strained to hear, barely catching wind of the name. He reared his head back before shaking it in confusion, "You mean your mother?"

"She's not my mom!" He was a tad bit assertive with the statement, looking up from the carpet.

"Yeah but just like me...She's the closest thing you've got!" David retorted in an equal fervor, not being bested by a ten year old. His hand remained on Charlotte's back, soothing her past the constant sniffles. "Emma gave birth to you but she didn't name you...she didn't raise you-Yes, she brought you into this world, but YOUR MOTHER is the one that kept you here."

He dropped the book at David's book in frustration, meeting his eyes with teary ones, "she lied to me," he mumbled.

"People lie, Henry..." His tone was softer, "And no it's not right," His tone was calmer, "But your mother thought she was doing what was best-"

"For her curse, not for me!" He whispered harshly in defense of himself, "Even you thought I was crazy..."

"Alright..." David nodded, bending a bit at his level, "fine, you're upset that she didn't tell you about the curse-tell her that. Don't just throw people away."

"Oh like you didn't throw away Mary Margaret?" Henry sniped, sniffling back his tears just as his sister did. "We all did what we 'thought' was right...And I told Charlotte because I thought it was right...She deserved to know who braids her hair and who takes her to daycare and who 'named' her and 'raised' her..." He threw David's words right back at him, brows knitted with emotion. "No one told me..."

His last words fell on receptive ears, ears that almost understood where the frustration lied. He felt betrayed-betrayed by the person that taught him how to tie a tie, by the person that walked him to the bus stop and packed his lunch. The one that named him and raised him, the first person he trusted. She was the first bond he made and she lied to him, she broke it-she broke him.

When he was given no response, no comeback, nothing to justify what he had exposed, he turned his back leaving the book at David's feet. He had no more to say and all that Charlotte knew all that she needed to, his work was done.

So his door slammed behind him.

David looked down, noting the brown brinded book at his feet with a cursory glance before going back to the door he had closed, hoping that their harsh whispers were low enough to leave the walls un-penetrated. The door opened and Regina was sitting up but she didn't look upset, concerned, but not upset.

"Was that Henry-Why, why is he-Why are they up?" So many questions and so many answers. Charlotte peeked from against David's neck, a red eye being the only thing visible in the dimly lit room, a light having been turned on. "Has she been cry-"

"Henry read her the book..." The only way to give all the answers was to rip off the band-aid and in turn watch her features blanch, all the color draining from her face with the saying of five words.

"She..." Her words fell silent as she swallowed, trying to make sense of the thoughts in her head, "Charlotte..."

She turned her head.

The tears in her eyes didn't fall but they stuck in her throat and through broken breaths she spoke, "give-give her to me..." He didn't want to hurt her, knowing that Charlotte might not let go of his neck. When he tugged at her small frame, she held close to his neck in a refusal that was evident in Regina's eyes. The hand she held out for her little girl went untouched and unheeded for reasons she knew but didn't want to accept.

"Charlie..." He whispered in her ear, passing a hand over her head, "mommy-" She shook her head at the mention.

Regina's eyes fell from his, not wanting to witness any more rejection-she knew it when she saw it but it hurt no less. It left her with darting glances and heavy breaths, breaths that she tried to contain. "Regina-"

He called her name and she flipped back the covers. She wasn't going to take this lying up against a headboard. She was out of their bed in seconds and it took him a moment to follow her, to realize that she actually intent on leaving. "Regina, you need to be in bed..." She was faster then he would think, but she had an intent, opening their door and going down the hallway. But when she went passed Henry's room, he was really confused. Where was she going?

Cursing under his breath, he made a beeline for Charlotte's room but she wouldn't let go of his neck, "I'll be right back Charlie, I just-" He tugged and she tightened. "Just.." And tightened.. "Charlie, daddy can't breathe..." And tightened. Picking up on his distress, she lifted her head and wiped at her eyes in the same manner that he had earlier, reminding him of himself. "I'll be right back, just..." He set her down in her bed, "Just stay here, okay?" She nodded and he could have swore he heard a car engine in the background.

Wait...

He nearly ran from her room, skipping steps as he ran down them and out the front door, seeing her black Mercedes speed down the street without so much as headlights. The night began quietly but seemed intent on not staying that way.

Ruby was the only one he could trust, the only one that knew about the curse that he could trust, truly trust. So when he left her with a crying panda and angry pre-adolescent, he knew she could handle it. He needed her to handle it so he could handle tracking down where their mother went. She left no note, no indication of her whereabouts and per usual Regina style, said nothing about leaving in the first place.

There were only two places she could plausibly be and City Hall was one of them, the first place he checked. Her car wasn't even out front so he sped passed, going to the second place, the place he had hoped she hadn't gone.

And here, her car was out front.

The door was ajar and he needn't push it open to slip inside, but he did close it behind him. The steps were apparent and he needn't locate them to go down them but he was hesitant because he had only seen the casket, not the crypt beneath. Getting over his curiosity, he made quick and light steps to find his way below ground, the faintest light flickering in the darkness. She was there though, the further down he went the more he saw of her.

She was on her knees, surrounded by what he suspected to be the discarded remains of what she had already gone through. She was looking for something, that he knew; She had been crying, that he knew. What she needed? What she was looking for?

Clueless.

"I-I need to find it..." She addressed him through gasps and uneven breaths, having heard him descend the steps.

"Find what?" He walked closer, standing behind her as she trifled by shelves and boxes.

"I don't know, I just-There has to be..there has to be something.." She chased a quick tear from her face, sniffing back what blurred her vision. "There just-" She gave up, hands sweeping at the shelf until her once pried trinkets broke against the concrete and shattered at her knees. She paused, trembling as her breaths overtook her. "I feel like...such a _fool_..." her voice was small and hoarse, nearly unrecognizable, "I cast a curse with no way out, I- can't stop it from breaking and I can't speed up the process, I just-"

She had nothing to help herself, nothing to end the waiting and get it over with. Let the riots and the anger begin so she can stop stirring in the inevitability and start living in the fruition. She had nothing to prolong the curse, nothing to keep the ignorance, to maybe even save face with Charlotte-if the curse didn't break soon, she'd have more time to stave off the people that would try and turn her against her own mother.

"Dammit..." When the tears fell, they didn't come easily. "I feel like I...I can't-can't...breathe..." Both literally and figuratively, breath seemed to escapes her. Her lungs were heavy and so was her heart, weighing down any levity she may have had. "Dammit..." was all she could say.

" _Dammit_..." Palms flat on the cleared shelf, she let go...

She let it wrack her. She let it take her breath away. She let go...and just cried.

He could only kneel behind her because she needn't be coddled. She had been staving off this breakdown for the longest, crying but ignoring the urge to truly sob. She had gotten upset but ignored the urge to just let it all out. She had gotten angry but ignored the urge to rage.

She sobbed

She sobbed for the rage she felt, for the betrayal.

She sobbed because she started this. She sobbed because she was given an opportunity to ruin her life and she took it with the thought that it would do just the opposite. She sobbed because she betrayed her son, she sobbed because he betrayed her. She sobbed because her husband still didn't feel like hers even though she wouldn't admit it. She sobbed because her daughter wouldn't even look at her, knowing her past. She sobbed because no matter how hard she tried, the blood never washed from her hands and the broken pieces of her heart never seemed to fit back together.

Only when it subsided did he reach out to her. When snobs became sniffles and her fists on the shelves splayed out. Only when she was ready, another thing he had learned. Don't push her-Just wait till she's ready.

And that's what he did, waiting to place a gentle hand on her back, to let her know that he was still there, that he'd always be there. He leaned forward, seeming to hug her from behind but really making sure that she knew she wasn't alone. "You're gonna get through this...We... _We_ are going to get through this..together..."

Only when her hand touched one that he had wrapped around her, did he know that she had heard him, really heard him. He stood, squeezing between her and the bookcase. He wouldn't let her stay down there, he wouldn't let her get pulled in by the tears she shed or the weight on her heart, "come on." He'd keep his vow.

He'd pull her up when she was down.

With a much needed breath, she took the hand that was offered to her but didn't move. She couldn't, she held on but she couldn't move-She was afraid.

Getting up meant conquering, facing, dealing, standing in the face of what went bump in the night. He bent over a bit, giving him some leverage as held to her waist and encouraged her to hold to his arm as he pulled her up-he'd do it if she couldn't do it by herself. He'd have the faith if she couldn't-He'd be what she couldn't be...He'd keep his vow.

She sniffled, looking just as Charlotte did, red eyes and all as she shrugged in his hold. "I don't know what to do..." She touched a hand to her head, inhaling suddenly, a side effect of her sobs, "Charlotte's traumatized...Henry's still angry, I don't..."

He was silent leaning forward to press a kiss to her temple, his hands still holding to her arms. It was silencing and it was calming; it was what she needed. He pulled away and met her eyes, "we can't fix everything at once," which was true, "it isn't going to be easy but we have to take it one step at a time and step one...is you..."

Before she could even protest, he was leading her to the stairs though his eyes were wandering. From vases to chests and trinkets, he seemed enamored, a hand on her back and an eye on her bookshelf. "I'll explain another time.." She answered the question that his actions vocalized, snapping his attention back to her. He nodded halfheartedly, not knowing if he truly wanted to know.

Leaving the truck at the cemetery, he drove her car back under the cover of nightfall. Arriving back was a heavy-hearted task but they did it, closing the door softly behind them. The house was quiet, sleep quiet-something it hadn't been an hour ago. He was tired, having only gotten a couple of hours and she was exhausted, having gotten none.

"They're probably asleep.." He spoke, seeing the hesitance in her eyes. "...all three of them."

She nodded with a haste as if she had no issue, "Oh sure.." no problem, "They probably are," no fear, "You can...check on them and I'll...I'll be in the room.."

She just didn't want to be the thing that went bump in the night, the boogeyman, the monster she told them wasn't real.

"Stop worrying..." He called her out on her silence, on her broken thoughts.

But how could she stop doing what she had come to thrive on?

The worry of not knowing-the worry of knowing, it seemed to always be present.

She tried to heed his advice, taking to the steps even though it practically ached to walk-but that was her fault. She consistently pushed herself passed her limits, disobeying her mind and following her heart, following what she knew to be irrational. It was who she'd grown to be.

David on the other hand didn't understand it, shaking his head as he peeked in Henry's room to find him splayed across his bed. He closed the door and found the hallway to still have the book in the floor, but he didn't move it; he left it there.

It would come to mean something.

Charlotte had fallen asleep in Ruby's side, the werewolf looking just as comfortable as one could be in a toddler bed. Shaking her shoulder to wake her, she shook her head an snuggled closer to the toddler she had grown close to, "Come back later.." she mumbled, not wanting to move from her sleep. He shook his head and left, closing the door softly behind him.

And once again, the night was quiet.

X

The morning was usually quiet but not this quiet, not pin drop quiet. Charlotte sat on one side of the counter, pushing around her soggy frosted flakes with her spoon while Henry watched on from the other side, both with red eyes, both still sniffling. David dried his hands with the striped dish towel on his shoulder, not knowing much more that he could do. He didn't cook and if he tried, he was sure they would end up with runny eggs and burnt toast so frosted flakes was what they got.

But breakfast was not the reason for tears, for the sniffles. Of course, they didn't just forget the night before, but they were painfully different. Charlotte's hair was abnormally down, unkept and undone. There was not a bow in sight and she didn't ask for one. Henry was pale and dejected, avoiding David's eyes only to breathe a sigh of relief when Ruby came stumbling sleepily into the kitchen, giving him a distraction.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" She whined, scowling in David's direction as he passed a mug to her.

He shrugged with a light chuckle, raising a brow at the bedhead that seemed to take on a mind of it's own. "You just looked...so peaceful."

Ruby feigned her laughter, "Oh haha..hahaha..HA..."

Her eyes were like slits but he didn't care, taking the towel down from his shoulder to place it back on the counter. "Enjoy your coffee and get out of here before Emma yells at you for being late."

"Oh you mean I don't get fake breakfast too?" She mocked.

He pointed to the mirror in the corner of the room, "no you don't," bringing her attention to the scary reflection.

"Shit..." She mumbled.

"Ruby..." David warned.

She shrugged, cupping her mug between her fingers as if it were her only source of heat, "Did you find her?" She questioned candidly.

"Ruby!"

David turned to her with wide eyes and she sputtered to answer, "I-I didn't know-Is she still asleep?" She rephrased her question, putting a hand on top of Charlotte's head, "Obviously she is..." She noted the notes and hairs out of place before turning around, passing a hand on Henry's shoulder, "alright I'm gonna go..."

"Guys, you wanna ride with Ruby to go to-" He didn't have to ask them twice, both of them abandoning their cereal in a second to follow after the red werewolf. She looked at David who only smirked in response. "Maybe she'll get you some 'real breakfast'"

"David I can't-"

"Too late...See ou in a little bit."

"I hate you."

After cleaning up what was not eaten in the first place, the Sheriff trekked upstairs with the hopes that she was still awake, the the reality hadn't hit her, that she was sleeping away her troubles rather than standing in the face of them. He opened to door and found her eyes wide at his presence.

"Are they gone already?"

He nodded, leaving the door open behind him. "Ruby took them..."

Her eyes found solace in the wall rather than his eyes, not wanting got look at the concern in them, the concern that reflected her own. "Did they...say anything?" A voice still hoarse with sleep and strained from turmoil of the early morning, her voice nearly matched the desperation she felt. "No, of course they didn't..." She answers her own question, "civil disobedience..."

"They're coping..."

"They're striking..." She sighed into her hand. "He's ten...she's four...

"And they're ours so I don't know why you're surprised."

She shook her head, "I'm not surprised, I just...I don't feel comfortable sending them to daycare or school when they're like this, they-"

"Can't stay here because I'm not staying..." Again, ripping the band-aid off.

"Oh..." She whispered, almost forgetting that he was the Sheriff. He had things to do, places to go-everyone did. She did too, but she didn't get to do them, she get to go anywhere.

"Hey, don't make that face..." He turned around, not being able to take the brown puppy eyes, not again. "My boss is gonna be on my case if I miss work again..."

"David, I'm your boss.."

He chuckled in embarrassment, trying to play it off, "Well then get off my back, woman." She sighed, rolling her eyes at his reproach, understanding his levity yet feeling quite beyond it. He huffed right along with her, touching a hand to the hair laid on the pillow beneath her, "Don't be upset..."

"It makes no sense to me, David." He knew she was talking about the kids, about them not being there.

"We couldn't-"

"We didn't talk to her...You sent her with Ruby like it was a normal day, like she didn't cry her eyes out last night and let me ask you this, _genius:_ Did you try to talk to her or did you let a _four_ _year old_ give you the silent treatment?"

...he let a four year old give him the silent treatment.

"Regina, I'm doing the best I can under the circumstances-I know it's not ideal but can you just-Just not get upset?" She huffed in response, resisting the urge to roll her eyes at him. She had a right to be worried, to be concerned but he seemed intent on quelling that worry, that concern. "Hmm.." He opened the drawer beside her nightstand, "Magazines, cold compress and...property details that Mrs. Truman has yet to review...thought I wouldn't find out you still had your secretary reporting to you?"

The small smile that she gave him was no compensation for her pain, for their pain-but for the moment it was enough, it was all he could ask. No, it didn't reach her eyes and it was more to placate him but he took it nonetheless.

He wouldn't push her.

He'd kiss her cheek and tell her that he would check on her, that he would come to drop off lunch if she wanted, that she wasn't completely alone. No he didn't want to leave her in a large empty house for hours on end, but he had no choice.

The only choice he had was to tell her where he was a going and that wasn't option. Sheriff related? Yes, but did she need to know that he was meeting Emma at Gold's shop for reasons he would rather not trouble her for? Not necessarily-it was a judgment call, to worry her or not worry her. He did what he thought was best and hoped that he wouldn't come to regret it.

X

Her bedhead was gone. It was the first thing he noticed when she an Emma pulled up in the cruiser. Emma was avoiding his gaze and Ruby was still scowling because, of course, he was great with the ladies.

Not.

"Did you drop the kids off?

Ruby closed the door behind her, rubbing her hand at the side of her thigh, "yeah and what the hell did you do to Charlotte? The poor little thing didn't even want her special cookies..."

David's gaze trailed to Emma's, deciding that, perhaps, now was not the perfect time to talk about what Henry had done, "She'll be fine; Regina and I...we're gonna talk to her tonight."

"Good...I've seen a lot of things in this world and the last but one of the worst is seeing goodness being weighed down..." She gave him a half-smile, "just make sure you talk to her..."

"I'm her father, Ruby..." His tone was sharp and he cleared his throat, not meaning to sound defensive, "I appreciate it, but I...we, we're gonna take car of it..."

Ruby nodded, passing a look to Emma, "So should we fill him in?"

"Fill me in on what?" He was the Sheriff, not the deputy and if anything was going on, he should be the first one to know about it.

Ruby looked to Emma, who remained silent and David could only guess that she was still on edge about Henry. Sensing the tension, Ruby shook her head with an incredulous look bouncing between them. "Don't, you guys. If we're going to get anything done then we need to talk to each other-put aside any differences and talk to each other..."

"Like the way you're not talking to Mary Margaret?" David turned to look at Emma, swearing that she sounded just as Henry had earlier.

"What?" Ruby turned back to the blonde, a brow raised, "Emma, what even-"

"Let's just get this over with. " She charged forward, pass the red-streaked werewolf and the confused, blonde Sheriff.

The bell chimed above Mr. Gold's door and a cool air swept passed them. David held the door open for Ruby and Mr. Gold looked up curiously. "And what can I do for the judicial trio of Storybrooke?"

David looked to Emma, not even knowing why they were there and she sighed irritably, not wanting to explain. "Gold held an _'open house'_ " she spoke with air quotes, "for anyone interested in trading or buying goods..."

David's brows scrunched as if he had been handed a Calculus equation. Yes, Gold never did anything without a reason but what-

"You son of a bitch!" He had one hand on his gun, ready to move, ready to aim, ready to fire. The imp was nothing but trouble, always trying to stir the pot, always turning up the heat to see how hot it could get. The puppeteer, truly the _master_ puppeteer.

Gold smirked, wagging his finger in the Prince's direction, "Now you sound like your wife."

"Who'd you wake up?"

"Does it _truly_ matter?" He leaned forward on his cane, "I simply opened my doors for those who wished to come and reclaim a few of their long-lost possessions. Perhaps some left with more than what they bargained for but, alas, that's a personal problem."

"David.." Ruby placed a hand on his shoulder, hoping to calm him down, "Gold, we just want to know who you woke up..."

"After all that's happened, I don't owe you anything..."

"All that's happened?" Ruby looked to David, "Wha-What's happened?"

"Oh you don't know?" He feigned surprise.

"Oh cut the crap, Gold." Emma spoke up, not wanting to be there all day. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"You, dearie!" He exclaimed, scanning the three sets of eyes that watched him. "With the strength of those that know of the two worlds, the connection between the worlds weakens...the more that know, the weaker the curse. Perhaps if you weren't so busy muddling in your personal issues, we wouldn't have to fret in this constant state of displacement."

"Don't listen to him," Ruby warned.

"Me?" Emma pointed to herself, ignoring the werewolf's counsel, "I didn't do anything!"

"Exactly!" Gold cast his cane to the side in a fury. "You, the child born of true love was supposed to break the curse and what have you done?!" He leaned into her space, bearing his teeth as he spoke. "...Nothing..." His hand was flippant, waiving at her carelessly, "you're useless now!"

Emma was silent, eyes trained on the man that belittled her, that seemed to have a talent for making others feel smaller than himself. She didn't want this, she didn't ask for it and yet he still was able to demean her for it.

"I don't.." She breathed, calming herself, "I don't have to take this..." She shook her head and brushed off Ruby's touch, not wanting to be consoled. The bell shook violently as she left and David turned back to Gold, eyeing the pawner with more disdain than he could conjure. But he wouldn't touch him, hell he would even shoot him, he just wanted answers.

"If I were you, I'd be worrying about whoever is after the Queen's head rather than who I sold her out to." He watched the panic form in the Sheriff's eyes, "...they _will_ be angry dearie...and I wouldn't put it past them to pay the Queen a visit..."

"Wha..." David's mouth ran dry with the worry that he had warned Regina. He just left her, no one could be there; not unless they were waiting for him to leave, not unless they were watching the whole time. He followed a similar lead to Emma's, running out the chiming door without even a thought to who was behind him. Ruby was hot on his tail, jumping in his cruiser for an expedient trip to 108 Mifflin.

Hopefully, they weren't too late.


	22. Persnickety

It never occurred to him that when he left that morning, locking the door behind him, someone was waiting for him to do just that. It never occurred to him that maybe, just maybe, he was doing just what they needed him to do. It never occurred to him to look at the cars around him, to see if anyone was sitting there waiting, plotting, stirring in an anger that was not easily quelled. It never occurred to him that when he left that morning, he would be rushing back before an hours' end.

And when he called her, it never occurred to him that she just might not pick up. He never thought she'd already be in the line of fire, already in the place of danger; no, she didn't ignore his calls. She just didn't hear them. By the time they were placed, she had been stirred from her bed by a crash downstairs, by an intriguing mischief that she couldn't bring herself to ignore.

"...Whale..." She didn't want to rile him but she also didn't want to startle him. He was disheveled as is, sweat cast over his brow as he stood in a suit wrinkled with stress. The pajama-clad brunette didn't have to journey down the entire staircase to know that she needed to proceed with caution, arms stretched out in curiosity yet protection. "What are you doing here?"

Confused and feeling the sting of betrayal with each glance he cast in her direction, a smirk tugged at his features as he approached the stairs, a brow raised at her question. "Haven't I-haven't I been good to you, Regina?" It was a simple question with a simple answer and yet she knew it meant more than what met her ears. "Haven't I taken...good...good care of you and your family?"

Though she didn't act as though he hadn't said anything, she didn't respond either. With a hand on the railing, she came down the stairs with the slow intention of making him wait, making him stir. If he was going to be ticked off at her, she was within reason to know why. And when she found equal footing on solid ground, when she looked him his eyes, she knew.

He knew.

"The Doctor..." She spoke knowingly, just as she had when they met years ago. No, not a wizard but a doctor, a man of life and redemption-healing. And if that was who he was, if that's what he knew his past to be then she knew what was next-Rage.

She took him from the life he knew and threw him into a world he didn't ask for and now, now he stood before seeking some type of panacea, a cure for her crimes. He was always one for revenge, avenging that which was wronged even if the price was himself.

"Send me back..." His lips curled with his demand, wanting nothing more than the words he spoke. He just wanted to see his brother, he just wanted to finish the job-He just wanted what she took for him.

But she couldn't give that to him. She could only offer him an analyzing gaze that trailed him from head to tow. From anger to anguish and rage to rile, she could only guess that this was more than a curse, more than a happy ending. He was, "The Doctor", his faith lying in science rather than magic and yet-yet he came to her, sweat ran brows wrinkled on his forehead as he sought his answer, what he lost.

And it was more than a happy ending.

"Who did you love that was left behind?" It was a risk, she knew but the way his lips twitched to respond, a nerve had been struck. It didn't have to be romantic, but his eyes said more than his mouth did. They were crazed with a yearn to see someone, to finish what was started, to take back...what he lost.

"That's..." He brushed his chin with a crooked jaws, his nerves beginning to get the best of him. "That's none of your business."

The scoff that escaped her was out of her control, a side-effect of what she referred to as being exposed to the idiocy of others. "You broke into my home, I'd say that my question is fair game."

"Fair?!" His incredulous shout reverberated against the walls. "The last thing you deserve is-"

If a tree fell in the forest and no one was around to hear it, did it fall? Did danger depend upon the erupting fear or it's mere presence? Did it matter that he could be within seconds of right on time and just seconds short of too late? Did it matter when wide turns and ignoring stop signs were mere prices to pay for himself if he didn't get there in time.

The Enchanted Forest was not the modern world, rather welcoming to the idea of an eye for an eye and the vengeance of justice. And when the two collided, when the medieval met the modern world there was bound to be a difference, bound to be a shakeup of some sort. They didn't belong here, the situation didn't fit the circumstances-A witch casting a curse upon thousand couldn't be tried by jury.

All that seemed possible was Hammurabi justice, a life for a life and a debt for a debt. Square the ledger with the blood of those who'd messed up in the first place, it was only right.

It was only fair.

It was...the only way.

If she died, no one would mind the children that lost their mother, the man that lost his wife-No that didn't matter because she didn't pay mind to the children who lost their mother, or the parents that lost their children-she didn't care.

She was flippant with death, ending lives as if it were the turn of a card, the drop of a dime. She didn't blink and she didn't look back, she just...kept moving. She was ruthless, brutal, minding mortality as if it were a toy to be played with. Well, now someone felt as though she needed to be played with, she needed to lose something after taking everything from everyone else.

After all, she cast a curse and not only took their happy ending but swung hers in their face. With her luxurious car and her larger than life home, her perfect life-her kids, her husband. She was taunting them when they didn't know they were being taunted. She was teasing them with what they didn't have even when they hadn't realized they didn't have it.

But now, now someone had realized and they were ready for retribution.

_X_

_4 months ago_

That night was a special night; usually she drove home on her own but that night, that night he was waiting for her. He kept himself from calling her and bothering her during the day, knowing that she'd call if she wanted to talk but he couldn't help but be excited at the prospect of another set of tiny feet to drive them up the wall.

He was in a fantastical type of love, the love that didn't seem real but when he pinched himself he didn't wake up. This wasn't a dream, this wasn't a nightmare-for him it was a reality, _their_ reality. And he was loving every minute of it. Sure he couldn't remember much about the past but in the present he was in love, he knew that he loved his wife. He knew that he grinned like a schoolboy when he heard her name, hell, when he thought about her.

She was essentially the thing that kept him going and the one thing that could distract him from doing what he needed to do. No, he didn't remember previous loves but he couldn't fathom any of them feeling like this-He couldn't imagine loving another for the faults that made her difficult and the flaws that made her human.

Somehow, someway, she managed to become all that he wanted, all that he needed and all that he couldn't see himself living without. The Deputy and the Mayor;

Who would have thought?

Not being able to spend another minute writhing in his car, counting down the seconds she stayed out of his reach, he undid his seatbelt and hopped out of his truck. He'd greet her, like a knight in shining armor and escort her to the car so he wouldn't have to stir anxiously waiting for her arrival.

It was quiet, understandably of course. The Mayor was the only one that ever stayed passed sun down, the only one with work that never seemed to cease. With footsteps echoing in his ears and angst building in his core, a hand pushed at the 'Magister' labeled doors and paused at the sight of her gathering her things.

She glanced over her shoulder with a shy smile before returning her gaze to the task at hand: gathering the paper work on her desk. "I was just finishing up..."

He nodded at her desk, hands filling his pockets, "Made your list and checking it twice?"

She snorted at his reference, depositing the last stack into her desk drawer. "Sheriff Nolan," she teased, a hand reaching for her bag, "...I can assure you of my distance from Santa Claus." _He was an overweight creep that committed reverse larceny after breaking and entering. Besides, he left me coal each year._ Heels clicked against the marble as she rounded her desk and found his eyes to be watching her every move, anxious, nervous, waiting for her to say what he needed to hear.

As soon as she was within his reach, cold hands left his pockets to find the curve of her waist. "I'm not the Sheriff, Madam Mayor..." His eyes searched hers, tugging her closer with each second of silence that stood between them.

"Well..." She leaned into his hold, fingers drawing circles on his shoulder to distract herself from his eyes, and his question. "...you will be..." A smirk tugged at her lips and he was quick to capture her in a kiss that took the breath from her lungs. She was a mystery that he never got tired of solving and a maze that he would forever go through. Because she was worth it.

And it was a fantastical kind of love.

She was breathless but he had her in his arms and had no intent of letting go. Secured around her waist, his fingers pressed softly into her back and prompted her to give him a chance, to look into his eyes. She met his glance for a mere moment only to turn her head seconds later, suppressing the teary expression that laced her features.

He didn't know if she hated this or loved it, about him, but he always knew, he knew the difference between what Charlotte would call 'happy tears' and 'sad tears'- he knew just what to do when either arose and in this moment, a tender kiss on the arch of her neck as she turned away from him was all she needed to laugh tearfully, picking at the invisible lint on his shoulder.

"I...I hate you..." A light sniffle left her, feeling him smile against her skin. Perhaps not him, but she hated that he saw right through whatever barrier she tried to put between them. And she hated that it was just what she needed.

"I love you too..." It was an odd form of communication but it worked between them. It was more than what others had and for them it worked when words ddin't. Often times they found that actions, not only spoke louder than words but simply, said more.

When the courage struck her, she turned her head slowly and he waited patiently, watching as her eyes met his with a damp longing to tell him her news. He almost felt privileged in the fact that no one else saw this Regina, his Regina. The softness or the intimacy-the swelling of tears to her eyes over mere words that could change their worlds.

Dipping his gaze in question, his forehead fell to hers and she nodded gently against him, giving him the answer he sought. "Yeah?" He whispered, inaudible to anyone but themselves as a small smile spread across both of their faces.

_Knock_

_Knock_

The sudden noise spurred them from their moment, the Mayor sniffling back her tears as the soon-to-be sheriff wiped away the strays, never leaving her side. "One second!" He yelled on her behalf, much to her own amusement. "Are you okay?" His question lingered for a moment as she pondered on it herself. Was she okay? Or did adding another child to this accursed mix feel like a noose around her own neck? Especially with the savior, his daughter, running around town with the destiny of the curse within the palm of her small pale hands.

Speak of the devil.

"Look, I know you said one second but I really have to talk to you about Hen-" Emma paused in the doorway, the frowned mouth she always seemed to have clamping shut at the sight of the Mayor in the arms of her husband, tears staining her cheeks and the shoulder of his jacket.

" _Oh..."_ Was the unspoken word that never left her, her mouth only beginning to form the sound as she absorbed the awkwardness of the moment. "I can um...I can come back later-"

"No, that's quite alright Miss Swan; tact is a skill not a quality..." A quality you most certainly DO NOT possess. Emma rolled her eyes because, even though she didn't say it, she kinda did. It was the poignant pause after she said it that let the silence speak for her.

Despite her calm and the discreet way she had slipped a hand beneath her eyes to quell any budding tears, David's arm never left her side even though it made their position quite...odd, in the presence of company. Ever the politician, the Mayor pressed an assuring hand to his chest, eye for eye before he planted a chaste kiss on her cheek before she could deny him. No, she was not a fan of PDA but that meant nothing in that moment. Because there, there he was over the moon.

"I'll warm up the car..." He gave her forearm a light squeeze before leaving her side to walk past his blonde opponent. "Emma..." He greeted and she nodded her head with a small smile that didn't quite meet her eyes but he didn't take note, so it was okay. All that mattered was his departure so that Emma could step out of the doorway and into the office.

"And what do I owe this impromptu visit?" Regina questioned, closing the distance between them as she moved to follow a similar footing left by her husband.

"It's about Henry," she breathed out, stuffing her hands (that barely fit) into her back pockets.

"Yes, you've said that. And though I'm at a loss for how he concerns you in the slightest, for some reason - I'm in the mood to hear you out..." Emma opened her mouth to silence, trying to keep her temper under control as the Mayor brushed passed her and out of the doors. She could only assume that the minute hand gesture she did on her passing was supposed to encourage her to follow.

Whatever the conversation was, David could only hope that it didn't upset, his wife. Between the nightmares and the election and Henry going on and on about some curse, she seemed about ready to lose her mind. Ever since Graham's death, things had been more than contentious between her and Emma and if her tone was any indication of their conversation to come, it'd no differ than the others.

Well, it had to do with Henry and to be honest, that only worried him. The little guy had been acting out as of late and seemed down on himself. At first he attributed it to Graham's death but it had been a couple weeks and, well, Graham wasn't that close to Henry anyway. The only thing that chalked up to sense was that curse that he was supposed to be Prince Charming in.

He snorted audibly, containing his amusement as he turned on the heat. He was charming, he'd admit to that, but a prince? Nah, just a deputy in flannel...or a Sheriff in flannel as Regina was already dubbing him. Without doubt, she'd probably want to go over his debate notes with him before they went to sleep. Another chuckle left him over her sheer dedication to the matter. She wasn't even debating but her bias was obviously in his favor, giving him tips and pointers and practically writing his speech for him despite his protests that he could do it himself.

Part of him was aware that this was really about the bigger picture and her territorial war with Emma Swan so he really wouldn't fight her on it. He'd let her do what she wanted-Happy wife, happy life, right?

Pondering the complexities of that statement, he jumped in his seat, hearing what sounded like an explosion from whence he came. He opened the car door and didn't even bother to close it upon getting out, eyes widening at the sight of flames seeming to engulf the front of city hall.

She didn't know what it was or why it happened but she did know that something had blown both her and her blonde nuisance onto their backs and crashing into the staircase behind them. She could only gasp for the wind that was knocked out of her, recoiling when the air she breathed was mostly smoke and heat.

The weight on her legs was soon removed though and she would be thankful save for the throbbing that it left in it's place. "Come on, we gotta get out of here..."

With glazy eyes, near hacking into the lapel of her blazer, she looked up to see the blonde's eyes, scattered as Regina held out a hand, "I can't move you have to...you have to get me out." God, it was the last thing she wanted to do-ask Emma Swan for help, but just moving her own legs felt like a task beyond her plight and her back was less than cooperative so she was reduced to throwing out her hand with the hope that maybe, just maybe the younger blonde would help her.

For once in her life, someone would look past their misgivings and her supposed misdeeds and help her without the benefit to their self. But of course, she didn't have to-It was the perfect opportunity to get rid of the Mayor shaped thorn in her side and no one would blame her if she said that she just couldn't manage to pull the other woman from the building.

The brunette deflated, seeing Emma move from her side to the door as if she were going to leave. "Emma!" A hoarse rasp left her voice as she called after her formidable bane, never thinking that she would end up at her mercy. "Emma!" With a disturbing cruelty, she closed her eyes in defeat that the girl had left her only to hear the huffs and puffs of what sounded like a fire extinguisher come her way, filling the air with white particles.

Instinctively, she curled into herself, holding her jacket to her face as a hand reached out and pulled at her arm. She recoiled at the touch, feeling a sharp press of the stairs remove from her back, the pulse of her ankle being airborne as she was lifted. In that moment, she couldn't think of who it was, only relieved to know that there was someone to think of.

Fresh air filled her lungs and she squinted her eyes open, holding to the leather jacket of her helpmate only to look up and see that it was no helpmate. It was her husband. A flash shined in her eyes and she winced at the light, turning away before he barked, "Move!" at the culprit, who was obviously more concerned about the story rather than her well being.

But in that moment, the point was that he saved her. She didn't know how and she didn't know why but he saved her without a second of recourse. He didn't know about her past and he didn't know about her deeds, all he knew was that she was his wife. It was what she'd always wanted. Unconditional care without thought to previous actions. She wanted to be who she was rather than what she had done and in his eyes, in his mind, that's exactly how he saw her.

_X_

_THE PRESENT_

When he pulled into the driveway, the cruiser was still running when he got out of it, not even bothering to close the door behind him. All he cared about was getting to her, getting to her before it was too late. He would always save her-despite what she had done, he couldn't see himself not saving her. For some reason, sitting in stasis when she was in danger wasn't an option no matter how they felt about each other. Love or hate; peace or war, it didn't matter.

"Hands where I can see them!" His yell brought both of their eyes to his own, Whale lifting his hands slowly as though he had a mind not to, just to cause a bigger fuss.

Keeping his gun pointed on a man he once trusted, David's eyes looked between the cursed doctor and his wife. She was sitting on the bottom step, unlike herself and when he came closer, her eyes told more than she did, for she was completely silent. "Regina?"

"I'm fine..." She breathed, nodding despite the wet eyes she wanted to hide but found that she couldn't even if she wanted too. He saw right passed her facade, he always did.

The door creaked open and all eyes snapped to the noise, seeing Ruby creep in with hands up as if to signal that she was not armed and not dangerous. "Everything okay?"

David reached at his gun holster, pulling out a pair of cuffs that he tossed Ruby's way. "Put him in the car." Ruby was quick in her steps, getting to him before he could pull anything and latching the cuffs onto his wrists with a grunt.

"Remember..." Whale's voice boomed across the foyer, drawing Regina's attention back to him. "Remember what I said, Regina..."

The raw fear that crossed her features was enough for David, causing him to stand front of her as Ruby pulled Whale from the house, "Get him out of here!"

When he was gone and the door closed behind them, she could only release a shaky breath as if the time she spent with a victim of her curse had taken her breath away. She felt...high and low all at the same time-it was weird. Her stomach was turning, her head was pounding and she couldn't help hearing the haunt of his words in her mind.

" _No one will help you..."_

"What..." He swallowed, bending down so that he was on the balls of his feet in front of her. He holstered his gun and placed his hands on her knees, grounding her, bringing her back from whatever abyss Whale had set her on because she was certainly not all there. She could barely make eye contact with him, brown eyes seemingly black as breath fought to course through her. "What happened?"

She shook her head in response, placing two fingers at her temple as she moved to stand, "Pick...the kids up and bring them home...if...if people are waking up then they need to be home...pick them up and bring them..bring them home.."

He tried to speak but could barely multi-task, squinting his brows as he stood with her, her hand on his shoulder for support. "Regina..." He touched his palm to her cheek and she closed her eyes, the cool of his skin edging her closer to reality and from the depths of her thoughts. "I'm right here..." He assured her, hating that she was bottling up right before his eyes, biting her lip to keep any tears at bay. "Did he do something to you?"

She gasped shortly, letting out another breath as she shook her head once more, "No..." Reticence took over in her effort not to take comfort in him. He wasn't there, he didn't know what happened or how it happened or if it happened or why it happened. He just knew that something occurred, something had to have occurred to make her turn into herself like a turtle in a shell.

"Hey..." Large arms wrapped around her, seeming to engulf how small she felt and hold her close without recoil or recourse. "I'm here...I'll always be here.."

She gripped at his back, blinking back the tears that brimmed in her eyes as she nodded against his shoulder, nails digging into him for dear life. "Okay..." It was all she needed to hear.

X

_4 Months ago_

"David, I'm fine..." She spoke up in an effort to cease his fussing, watching as he leaned away from her, eyes roaming the expanse of her body. "You've fluffed my pillows enough..." And she was exhausted, having fought hell and high water to not be brought to the hospital and rather, have her ankle wrapped on site. Purposely, she was avoiding Doctors and nurses and all the bed checks and pillow fluffs and yet he seemed to be doing the job for three people.

But there was something wrong.

She could tell, by the way he watched her, the way he avoided her eyes and wrung his hands as if they were stained. There was one thing about him; as calming and as sensitive as he was, he seemed to harden when upset by something and it was unsettling, and certainly telling of his moods.

"David..."

"Hmm?" He looked in her direction, "...need something?"

Her head fell to the side in concern, tilted by his distress. "Something's troubling you..."

"No..." He smiled sheepishly, "...no I'm fine.."

"That wasn't a question, dear.."

"Dear?"

"I was in a fire, sprained my ankle, and hurt my back all whilst carrying your child-I'll call you what I want.." With the snap of her tone, he looked up to meet her eyes only to see the amusement dancing in her eyes. "Come..." She patted the bed beside herself and he shuffled in his pajama bottoms, looking more like Henry than he did himself.

"She hesitated..." He continued to pace, despite her beckoning him to be by her side.

Regina settled into her pillow sleepily, resigned to let him pace. It was passed midnight and if he wanted to pace bare-chested in their room, than fine. As long as it got him talking to her. It was one thing for her to clam up with him but when he did it with her, she just couldn't settle down. And as disconcerting as their connection was, being that it was on that level, she knew that she'd be restless until they talked.

So they did.

"Who hesitated?" She questioned, her tone was soft, like coaxing a child forward.

"When the fire broke out..." He turned to her, pointing to the ground as if flames would erupt from the carpet. "I ran over and when I got there...She...She was outside just standing there..."

"David...the fire department were there in minutes, we weren't in any real danger."

"Yeah, but what if I hadn't picked you up tonight...what-what if she had left you? We don't know what could have happened."

"Which is why we should focus on what did happen: Miss Swan put out part of the fire and you-"

"This Henry thing is getting out of control.." He cut her off without remorse, not wanting to hear her placation of the events. No, no she'd sugar-coat it to get him to calm down but the fact of the matter is that the blonde froze. She was standing there while the front of the building nearly went up in flames. Perhaps it was a human reaction but when someone's life is on the line, the last thing needed is for one to stand absently watching.

"Well, I don't know what you want _me_ to do about it, David. I didn't bring her to town, I didn't start this-"

"Well then end it, Regina!" He regretted it the moment he said it, the moment the yell left his mouth and she recoiled at his tone-God, he regretted it the moment he said it. "I'm sorry..." the palm of his hand dragged down his face, "...I'm sorry..." He moved over the bed and sat where she had been asking him to, rubbing a hand down her leg in an effort to, not only calm her but, calm himself. "I didn't mean to yell..."

She nodded her understanding and reached over the end table beside her, grasping for her phone. With a quick speed dial, it was ringing and when the deputy attempted to speak, "-ah!" was the only thing he got, accompanied by a matching 'talk to the hand'.

"Regina-"

"Ah-"

"Regina-"

"Ah-"

"Who-"

"Ah-"

"Who are you-"

"Ah-

"Regina!"

"Sidney..." David's mouth clamped shut, leaving himself to wonder why his wife had called the man that was pining after her, obviously, at this hour. "Yes, I know what time it is, that's what clocks are for. Nevermind the time, I need you to do something for me-Well, yes it can't wait...Headline the announced that there will not be a debate to determine our new Sheriff."

"Regina, what are you-" His whispers were cut off by a red nail...in his bicep.

"Due to the current circumstances and in lieu of tonight's events, I've decided to invoke Article 12, Section B of the Town Charter...Article...Article 12-Sidney...B as in boy...Yes. I've decided to invoke the Mayor's right to revision and appoint Deputy Swan as our Deputy Sheriff and Deputy Nolan...as our new Sheriff, effective immediately. There will be a commencement ceremony at 12 noon at the Sheriff's station...No you do not need to stop by my home to double check that...Sidney-Sid-" She flipped her phone shut in what seemed like an instant, refusing to bring on a headache from the man's babbling. "Stop staring at me..." She chastised, settling back down against her pillow.

His eyes remained on her, having no choice but to join her in settling down as she reached over and turned off the light to leave them in an illuminated darkness. "Why did you do that?"

Because Henry was already affected by it, she didn't need to effect him too. Sure it had gotten out of hand, it was bound to get out of hand, a curse was breaking and she was the only one that knew about it, save for a limping imp. Because she couldn't stand him being upset with her, even if he claimed he wasn't, she couldn't stand to fight with him and she just wanted him to look her in the eyes. A small sacrifice for the greater good of her heart.

"...I love you." That was as much as she was going to give him and though he wanted more, he'd take it. She'd given him all that he needed. "Sheriff Nolan...one minute on the job and you're already neglecting your duties..."

It didn't take him long to catch her drift between he was snuggling closer, careful of her injury, "I love you too.."

And yet this time, it was her that was smirking. "You have no choice."

X

"Get Charlotte first..." Her tone was softly demanding of him but he didn't mind, more concerned about the rasp of her voice than the tone. He peeled back the covers as a hint for her to slide her feet under and, though begrudgingly, she did as was asked. "You might want to...stop by Granny's...If you pick her up now, she'll have just missed lunch so she'll be hungry..."

She was busying herself with the logistics to avoid the facts, to avoid what had just happened. Yes, all he wanted was for her to lie down and rest in bed...wasn't that what bed rest for. Once again, she had done anything but and without knowing how serious complications could be, it was just better to heed Doctor's orders.

Even if the Doctor was Frankenstein.

"Are you sure you don't want to...talk, before I go?" David probed, as she pulled the white duvet atop of herself, settled in doing things on her own.

"Make sure...you call the school to tell them that you'll be coming." She seemed to be ignoring his questions, the haze of her eyes being like a film of her thoughts. That's all she saw-her thoughts. She saw Whale's words and her thoughts, a conglomerate of feelings she never wanted to live out but knew to be inevitable.

"Knock knock..." Ruby whispered gently, making a fist against the white wood of the bedroom door.

"I'm gonna have Ruby stay with you until I get back..."

"David, I don't need a babysitter. They only person in need of a babysitter is the criminal you've left unattended in my driveway..."

"Regina, we don't know who in town is awake and the best thing right now is for you not to be alone..."

She huffed, resigned to do nothing because she simply couldn't. She could only accept the kiss on her cheek and him nearly running out of the room with hopes that Ruby had placed a child lock on the car doors.

"Can I get you anything?" Ruby questioned, looking around the room as if she didn't know her place.

"No...I.."

" _There's not a person in these lands that will help you if anything were to befall you or your children; born and unborn."_

" _When complications arise...and they will arise-you will be alone."_

" _The curse will break and so will the farce of a family you've concocted-And tricked me into nursing."_

" _I delivered your daughter, I brought life to you and you took it away..."_

" _Your victims...men, women, children - You were merciless."_

" _A monster.."_

" _A villain."_

"I'm the...the Evil Queen.."

Ruby stilled in her efforts to aid a woman she was beginning to truly consider her friend,, pausing as her eyes glossed with a haunting expression, bringing her farther and farther from that moment. "Regina..."

"I...I feel..." Sick, she felt sick and tormented, the churning of her stomach only worsening with each passing moment. Not just for what she did but what she felt, she'd numbed herself to it for years. The death, the torture..Few times did she ever let it get to her...at night, perhaps, when she was alone and felt tears she didn't want slip down her face.

But the empathy, it was wracking to have empathy for all her victims-to understand what they felt...how they must hate her. Perhaps that's why her children felt the way they did. They had empathy for her victims-they took on the hate that she couldn't bare.

And that made her sick.

With a sudden move, she flipped back the covers that had just been pulled up and sat up with a quick effort to remove herself from the stare of the wolfish babysitter.

"Regina.."

She didn't hear a word, feet finding solace in nearing her bathroom rather than nearing her bed. Before Ruby could stop her, she locked the door behind her and left the deputy-in-training on the outside, confused and more seriously, worried. Worried for the pale complexion of the woman she was supposed to be watching, worried for her friend and her sentiment of acceptance that she was the Evil Queen.

She knew more than her share about facing who you are...or who others would deem you. That was the hardest part about coming to terms about turning-accepting that she was an animal, an animal that at time was ruthless with aggression. An animal that had ended her own happy ending before it could start. One day she was a simple girl with simple dream, living with her grandmother...and the next, she was a werewolf, who had eaten her boyfriend, living with another werewolf..who came from a long line of werewolves.

The difficulty to accept that is needless of an explanation.

X

_4 Months Ago_

"And so it is with great pleasure that I pin...you, Deputy Swan as our new Deputy Sheriff of the Storybrooke Police Department." She leaned on her good ankle, pivoting a bit as she took the lapel of Emma's blouse between her fingers. Part of her was eyeing the material a tad callously because it looked so familiar...too familiar. She scoffed internally at the thought that Henry might have 'borrowed' another blouse from her without asking, and at the very least, to give to the bane of her existence.

The blonde gave her a tight lipped smile that she returned, hobbling a couple inches over, maintaining her stature despite the pain throbbing in her foot. Part of her even regretted wearing heels and being called 'stubborn' by the husband she now stood in front of. "Deputy..." He gave her that damned smile and her eyes averted immediately, trying to save face in front of watching citizens and reporters.

"Madam Mayor..." He greeted slyly, smirking at her attempts to keep from laughing at him, and keep the PDA at a minimum.

"Deputy Nolan..." The smile on her face was something she couldn't hide as she fiddled with the chest of his shirt,glancing over the tie she had tied just that morning. "...It is with great pleasure that I pin you as the new Sheriff of the Storybrooke Police Departmen-" The last syllable was lost on her tongue as his lips pressed to hers in a chaste kiss that certainly caught her off guard. He pulled away as quickly as he had neared her and she chuckled nervously, hearing the hoots and scattered applause in the sizable crowd around them.

Clearing her throat, she stepped back slowly, steading her balance on the one foot that could take the weight, wincing in a misstep that lead her weight to her injured ankle. Ever so graceful, she leaned her back discreetly against a nearby desk, looking to the reporters and Emma, purposely ignoring those damned blue eyes. "With these new appointments, we welcome a new era in Storybrooke's history. Though it is with heavy hearts that we welcome this day, knowing that it came about as the result of...Sheriff Graham's untimely passing, it is my hope that you Sheriff Swan and you...Sheriff Nolan fill the...rather large shoes left before you."

The shadow that passed over Emma's features was not unmissed but passively ignored as Regina turned, forcing herself to look at David to avoid the guilt of looking at Emma as she seemed to mourn a man internally that was more than a friend but less than a lover. She smiled tightly and stood up straight as the last few shutters of nearby cameras sounded, "Protect us...Defend us...and, as I'm sure you will, make us proud." The room combusted into a roaring applause, edifying the number of people that actually attended the quaint ceremony.

"Madam Mayor..." Mrs. Truman extended her hand and Regina obliged her, and the countless others that walked behind her, looking to touche the hem of the Mayor's garment, earnestly sucking up like their life depended on it. It was futile, seeing how she couldn't enjoy it, being that it was bred from a curse rather than genuine admiration.

Watching as the last few guests left, along with Sheriff Swan who gave her a tight lipped smile that she halfheartedly returned, she relaxed, leaning into the desk before her. She was unaware of the cause of the fire but made it a mental point to find out so she could wring their neck for putting her through it. But she was a tough cookie, having endured worst injuries and wounds but of course, there was magic to heal them.

In this world the only magic available had to be taken every 4-6 hours and waited an hour to kick in.

"Madam Mayor..." At the title, she would have sneered but the sound of his voice was mellow, calming even. She turned to see him pushing a chair that spun on it's wheels, his fingers digging into the black leather.

"David, I'm not immobile.." She chastised playfully, chuckling as he pushed it closer with a smirk.

"C'mon, just indulge me and sit in my makeshift wheelchair." The seat of the chair bumped into her calf playfully, "You know you want to..." Though his teases were true, she resisted, folding her arms across her chest.

"The only thing I want to do...is go home." She admitted with a stifled yawn that she tried to hide, turning her head a bit.

He gave up, moving his hands from the chair to her waist, kissing her cheek before kneading his fingers against her back. "I'll take you home, If you want..."

"No, no..I can't-We can't, really." She relaxed at his touch, feeling the relief despite the ache. "There's the celebration brunch at Gran-oh to the left..."

"What?" He asked through his chuckles.

"Move your...thumb to the left..." It as a demand, made almost in the tone of a child before she sighed at the appease of her request, his thumb working out the aches she couldn't and wouldn't reach herself.

Tickled pink, he nearly lost himself when she moaned at his touch, completely unashamed at her reaction. She'd blush at a chaste kiss but moans that could be taken either way? She reveled in it.

He didn't have to understand her, he just had to love her.

"..right there..." She mumbled, seeming to be out of herself until his chuckles caught up to her ears. "What's so funny?"

His laughter came to a choking stop as he attempted to contain himself. He wanted to say, _"I think we need to stop before someone hears and thinks we're christening my new desk..."_

But he ended up smiling and saying, "I just love you..."

"Well, right now I need you to love me further to the left..."

X

He was driving when he got the text.

_I have him. Don't try and find us_

It was cryptic and confusing and it didn't help that it came from Emma. How could she have him? Did she pick him up after leaving Gold's shop? Surely enough, when he called the school like Regina had told him to, they told him that the Sheriff had already picked up her son for an early out, saying that he had a doctor's appointment.

But he didn't.

With Charlotte nodding off in the backseat, he dialed another number, a number he hadn't dialed and didn't think he would have to dial for a long time.

It rang.

It rang.

It rang.

" _Hello?"_

"Hey-Mary Margaret, it's David, please don't hang up."

Silence.

"Mary Margaret?"

" _David, I have a class, I don't have time for this."_

"Wait just-just wait. Did you let Henry leave school?"

" _What? No, David goodbye."_

"WAIT! Mary Margaret, please..."

Silence.

"Mary Margaret?"

Silence.

"Snow..."

" _Don't..Don't you dare try to use our past to get me to help you!I don't-I don't owe you that. The office called him out of class and said that the Sheriff was taking him out early for an appointment. Since you're the Sheriff, I would think you'd know that. Goodbye, David."_

The line went dead, and he resisted the urge to throw his phone at the windshield. Before he could even succumb to the impulse, he saw a flash of yellow down the street in front of him. Without hesitation, he was picking up speed, following what he presumed to be the death trap his daughter drove. It had to her, she was the only one in town with a yellow car.

That he knew of.

Clenching his phone in his hands, he flipped it back open and dialed her number, letting it ring openly in the air.

_Hey, this is Emma Swan. I'm not here so leave a mess-whatever, you know what to do.._

_Beep._

"Dammit!" He threw his phone at the passenger seat, turning as she did only to realize that they were approaching a vaguely familiar road near a patch of woods.

"Daddy, bad word..." Charlotte mumbled sleepily from the backseat.

"I know, I'm-I'm sorry Charlie horse..." He turned swiftly, glancing briefly at her drowsy form through the rear view mirror. "Daddy's sorry."

It was a good thing that driving alone was enough to make her drowsy, despite the time of day. He wouldn't have to worry about her, only having to concentrate on the yellow bug that was swiftly approaching the _**LEAVING STORYBROOKE**_ sign.

_**LEAVING STORYBROOKE** _

X

"Regina..." Ruby called out softly, knowing that the woman could hear her because she could hear the brunette's heavy breaths on the other side. Or maybe it was the wolf thing, but she shrugged it off, not knowing the difference. Her only wish was that she'd come out and maybe even talk to her, not shut down completely because whatever Whale had said to her obviously gotten to her.

Really, got to her.

"Regina, please just..." She could say just talk to me, the more she thought about it the more her wish to talk to her was diminished. The last thing she'd probably want to do is talk to her. "Okay..." She resolved, sliding her palm down the wood as she sat against the door, leaning back as well. "Well I'll be right here...I'm not going anywhere, you know?"

She sat there, waiting for a response and never got one. Not that she was surprised, but it didn't hurt to wish or hope that she'd get a response. The only thing she could do was sit and wait, a palm pressed against the wood with an ear beside it. "I'll be right here."

"Ruby.." She didn't know how much time had passed between her door stakeout and the calling of her name but when it did, it jolted her out of thoughts and pulled her to her feet.

"David..." She greeted, looking at his red rimmed eyes and worn expression, "Are you okay?"

"Where's Regina..." His eyes motioned over to the empty bed and Ruby bit her bottom lip, hoping he wouldn't get upset.

"She may have... Had a little moment and locked herself in there" She pointed to do the door, "but-but it's not a big deal...I think Whale just got to her and for some reason, me asking if she was okay pushed her off the edge."

He nodded, running a hand down her face with an exhale, "...thanks, Ruby..." His mumbles were halfhearted but she didn't take it personally, seeing the change in his demeanor, "Can you...Can you go down to the station and check on Whale?"

"Yeah no prob..." She avoided asking him about his expression and did what he asked, finding that today was not the best day to ask people questions. Somehow, someway it always ended up going wrong.

When she walked away, his hand lifted above the archway and his fingers felt for a small piece of metal that cooled against his skin before he pulled it down. Twisting it, he pushed it into the knob and jiggled it around, patience being something he couldn't afford as he pushed the door open.

She was sitting on the edge of the tub with her cheeks in her palm and grief in her eyes, unmoving despite his startling appearance. He tucked the key in his jean pocket, meeting her eyes briefly before she exhaled shakily, "I'm sorry."

She didn't have to apologize but he didn't respond, not knowing if the words he wanted to come out would if he opened his mouth to speak. He held out his hand and with a weary look, she latched onto him, pulling up from her position with a wince that didn't go ignored.

A hand around her waist and fingers kneading at her back, he led her out the open door and towards the bed, covers flipped from when she left. With a long awaiting sigh, she sat on her side, eyes still haunted by words he didn't know. She wouldn't know how to express it if he asked anyway so perhaps him not knowing was the best thing for them right now.

"We need to talk..." His tone was solemn, too solemn really.

Sliding her legs beneath the covers, she closed her eyes to his voice, with the shake of her head, "I don't want to talk..." She began that morning by talking with someone she didn't want to and it messed her up completely so honestly, talking was the last thing she wanted to do. Silence, that's it.

Silence.

She wanted to hear a pin drop, she wanted to...hear nothing. She didn't want to be alone but she didn't want hear noise either. Peace...just peace, is all she was asking for.

If only for a moment.

"Regina, it's important..."

The Mayor met his eyes with a pleading stare that told more than he knew about that morning. "David...as long as Charlotte and Henry are okay..." She couldn't't bring herself to care about the curse or even herself, even their relationship. No that was too much to ask for. As long as the children were fine-She could remain in her state of thought.

He wanted to push her to talk to him, to push the envelope on the conversation but he couldn't. As much as she deserved to know and as much as he needed to tell her, he couldn't. He could only kiss her forehead and go.

She just wanted silence.

X

Peace was exactly what she got; for how many hours, she didn't know. He'd left her alone and she was thankful for that, for him obliging her even when he didn't want to. He was learning to do that. Do do what she asked rather than telling her what to do, and for that she could only be relieved. It was one in a million obstacles they would have to cross. Time passed and thoughts turned to dreams, dreams that she didn't want or ask for.

" _Mommy, Mommy no!" Charlotte reached for her with an earnest attempt, clawing at the hold David had on her, purposely averting his eyes to keep from seeing the tears in their eyes, two of the mot important people in his life. One hand held the baby carrier and the other was secured around Charlotte's tiny waist as she fought to be with her mother._

" _Take them away!" Was all that she could say, trying to keep from succumbing to the tears that wracked her as the townspeople surrounded her, signs and weapons in their hands as Albert Spencer held her bound. She could barely catch David's eyes because he couldn't look at her, he couldn't bare to see her when he couldn't save her. The children..he had to get the children first. "Get them...get them out of here..." Her sobbed whispers broke her voice until the hoarseness from which she spoke was all that she could do. She had no voice, none to be spoken and none to be heard._

_This drama, this mess, this spectacle shouldn't be something that her children had to witness. They were too young, they were too...innocent._

_Shattered glass of City hall filled the grass and broke the crowd into silence. Building windows and car windows shattered, sending off car alarms and the like in a show of utter mayhem. In confusion Regina looked down at her chest as if to look at her self thinking she was to blame._

_That wasn't her._

_But she could feel the magic that was released-it was...familiar._

_She looked up with dread and saw Charlotte's red little face, brown eyes hid behind eyelids that were shut closed as her tiny fists balled in upset and frustration._

" _Mama."_

"Mama." Regina jolted from her sleep, looking up to see the first person she needed to, the only person she needed to. The name had caught her off guard, considering that both Henry and Charlotte had grown out of it after their terrible twos.

She sniffed back the tears that welled in her eyes from the residual emotion of her dream, wiping at her eyes as Charlotte's palm padded at her cheek. "Sweetheart..." She called, their heads lying against a pillow as they watched each other, looking into mirrors.

What took her aback was Charlotte's touch. It hadn't been long at all since Henry had dispelled her history to her little girl and since then, Charlotte seemed terrified of her own mother. She shrunk at her touch and refused to be held by anyone other David and yet, here she laid as if nothing had happened.

As if the conditions of her love were nonexistent.

It was pure.

"Did you leave your bed?" Regina questioned, pulling at the striped shirt that rode up  Charlotte's stomach, baring her skin.

The child suppressed a toothy grin at her mother's touch, as if she was conflicted with remaining stoic and just loving her _mama._ She knew the stories and she understood what they meant but that didn't change who her mother was.

She was still her best friend.

And as small as she was, as young as she was, she knew that her mama was the only one she had. So she leaned over with a childlike clumsiness, small fists pressing into the bed as she kissed Regina's cheek with small puckered lips.

And a wind swept through the land.


	23. Preemptive

The child born of true love will break the curse.

That's what the prophecy showed, that's what was supposed to happen.

And it did.

But once again, the Dark One was made aware that glimpses into the future are just that, mere glimpses rather than the whole story. To be quite honest, the means to the end were of no matter to him; all he cared to know was that the curse was broken.

Even if it was unexpected.

The pawn shop broker was dawdling with what all pawn shop brokers dawdle with: the power of true love. Two glass flasks stood on the counter in front of him, each containing a single strand of hair: one, a golden yellow and the other, a dark ember.

For a brief moment, his attention was stolen by the passing cars, a yellow and brown blaze, both going over the speed limit, but alas, he had bigger tasks at hand.

He'd once been told that science trumped magic but really, science can't overcome something that withholds it. Science is magic but magic is not science and the distinction is made clear when veined fingers grasp at the beaker to his left, awaiting his touch. A cerulean solvent that foamed at the smallest of swirls swished in the beaker as he held it over each flask, pouring 2 inches, at the most, within each.

When the blue tones washout to a foamy white, a dark hiss broke the silence of his own making, "Excellent..." Indeed it was, for when the foam settled, one flask brimmed with a flaming indigo, rivaling the stamina of his eyes while the other fizzled a gray smoke until all that was remained was that sad damaged hair;

It was golden yellow and yes,

Quite unexpected.

X

She was struck still, literally struck as if every nerve in her body was irritated by the passing wind. Maybe not what the wind was but really, what it meant-what it had to mean. A passing wind and a stream of light, reflecting the colors of the rainbow with sickening parallel to true love could only mean one thing: _True Love's Kiss_

And True Love's Kiss broke the curse.

"David..." She called, but certainly not loud enough, even though it didn't matter. His footsteps were already bounding towards their room with large announced thumps that could be heard throughout the hall.

Confused, Charlotte's eyes widened at the strange sensation as she cuddled closer to her mother's side, brows scrunched on her forehead. "Mommy, what was that?"

"Regina..." David's hands hung tightly to the doorway, breath heaving in his chest after running from the office to where he stood. "Was that what I think it was?"

She was still struck, still paused in what seemed like an endless thriller of all things that could go wrong. There were so many possibilities, so many things she could feel: Joy that it was true love between her and her daughter, pure love that knew no conditions that broke them from a time freezing prison or paralyzing fear that the only thing keeping her safe, that time freezing prison, was now gone.

"Regina.." he called her name once more, buttoning the plaid shirt that bared his white singlet, open for reasons she had no clue of.

Swiping a tongue across her lips briefly, she collected herself, and the time to be still was over. Her hands pushed at the blankets on her legs and Charlotte helped, though the space between them remained minimal. "I can't be sure.." Brown eyes drifted to brown eyes that mimicked her own, curiosity looming in them. "I think it was Charlotte..."

"What?" His brows scrunched just like his daughter's and it was obvious where that trait was picked up from. The lift from her mother, the crinkle from her father; ergo, the sass from her mother and confusion from her father.

Obviously

"I need to get dressed..." She moved to stand, swinging her legs around the edge before leaning on the end table for support without a second thought to his protests.

"Ohhh...Mommy's gonna play dress up..." Charlotte nearly squealed, climbing across the bed until she could hang her own legs over the bed and jump down, running into the closet with wide eyes. Usually she'd be stopped with a note of caution to ' _be careful'_ or _'wait for mommy'_ but this time, this time there was no time.

"Regina..." David was still confused, none of his questions being fully answered. She'd get so caught up in taking care of things, in running to avoid the inevitable that she'd forget what was right in front of her. "I need you to talk to me," he coaxed, hands reaching for her upper arms to keep her from moving, from running away.

"She kissed me, David!" Her tone wasn't combative but it surely wasn't calm, in fact it was bordering frantic as her eyes searched his for any type of closure. "The child born of true love will break the curse and as soon as Charlotte kissed my cheek, the..." Words fell from her tongue in a manner that suggested she was far too worked up to continue, eyes finding comfort in the walls behind him rather than the man, himself. "Do you know what it means if our little girl-"

No, the words didn't fall from her tongue but they were taken when he caught her lips in an embrace that kept breath from getting to her.

He didn't kiss her to prove a point to her but it was almost to prove a point to himself. It'd been over a month since he'd last kissed Mary Margaret, since he dared her to feel something that wasn't there. Before he had kissed her looking for a spark that no longer existed and then kissed her just to prove to her that there was nothing there.

But with Regina, nothing changed. Every round went higher and higher and this kiss, with just the idea of her actually being his true love, not caring about the logistics of how it worked out, was enough to send him soaring. If for just a moment before, the bricks that were bound to fall on them, fell, it felt good just to go a little higher-just a little.

He pulled away with a slow detachment, thumbs stroking at her cheeks as she caught her own breath, seeming as though she was the one that had run up the steps. "What do you need?" If the curse was broken then they'd need to act, they need to find out if it broken in the first place, if Charlotte had broken it and what they would do next.

Because if people were awake, if they knew that their happy endings had been taken from them on no recourse from their own doings, then riots would surely follow. And you can take the fairytale characters out of the forest but you can't take the forest out of the fairytale characters-they'd make torches if need be.

She swallowed, finding his eyes for a source of calm to gather her thoughts, her own hands reaching up to hold his, "I need to get to Gold..." His mouth opened as if to protest and she shook her head under his touch, "You asked me what I need, David...I need to see Gold."

"Time's up, daddy. Mommy has to dress up..." Charlotte called as she pranced across the floor. A black fabric hung over her head, blocking her vision if not for her holding her little arm in the way to prevent from falling. Though falling seemed to be inevitable when her feet were trudging in boots twice her size, the legs of them dragging beside her as she drug her feet across the floor. "Time's. Up. Daddy.." Charlotte stated again, her brow rising in a challenge as she peaked her head from beneath the black coat, making sure that he knew she was serious.

With a suppressed chuckle, his eyes met his wife's and he was released, free to go under the guise of Charlotte's orders. That is, until she held onto his hand. He turned back and the question she spoke had his blood running cold, "Where's Henry?"

With her grip secure around his wrist, he turned around to Charlotte who was trying her best to get from beneath the coat she had trapped herself under. "Charlie sweetie, why don't you find mommy some pants to wear?"

"The stretchy ones?" She questioned with a straight face, taking her task seriously, though the question itself was cause for laughter.

"David, dont' answer that.." Regina stopped him, smirking a bit before he turned slightly, winking at Charlotte who giggled frivolously and ran back to the closet.

Turning back to Regina, he sighed as a hand reached up to rub at his neck and she dropped his hand, eyes narrowing. "David-"

"Emma took him over the town line-I-I tried to stop her but no one can leave town. I followed them as far as I could before I nearly veered into the woods." Perhaps ripping off the band-aid wasn't the best course of action, but it was too late now. All he could do was look at her, watch as her jaw clenched with closed eyes and the hands by her sides became fists fighting to be still. "I'm sorry, Regina-but at least we know he's in good han-"

She breezed past him before he could even finish the sentence, turning her shoulder so that she didn't brush against him as she followed after Charlotte.

At least he got that kiss.

For the moment was surely over.

X

The town was quiet...too quiet, in fact.

For a town that had just been freed from the prison of time and fake memories, there was an emptiness through the streets that was undeniable. There was something brewing, but of course neither of them knew what it was. They were rather caught up in stealing glances and avoiding them as well, too raw to speak with one another. He knew that if he said anything, he would probably be sticking his whole calf in his mouth rather than his foot. And she, well she'd rather silence come from her than the wrath that was within her.

One battle at a time.

At a slow hault, he pulled into a parking space right in front of the pawn shop, looking at his surroundings to see that no one was on the sidewalk.

No one.

She was tempted to ignore his chivalrous attempts and just get out his truck but considering it was his truck and not her car, the difference being a drop of a foot and a half, she stayed put. His logic came from a place of stealth, thinking that if they saw her car in public they'd attack, though there really weren't people around to even notice.

Though when he did come around to help her down, she didn't make it a point to even look him in the eyes, preferring to have her eyes set on her destination. As soon as he turned to retrieve Charlotte, she was gone, already stepping under the bell that rang above her.

"I guess that _'closed'_ sign is futile, dearie?" Gold retorted immediately, never bothering to look up as he fumbled in one of the glass cases that held merchandise ambiguously belonging to him.

"Is the curse broken?" That was the answer she needed-no games and no riddles, just a straight answer.

"What do you think?" His tone snipped at her and she couldn't help but deflate, not at him, but at the prospects that would soon arise. If people knew, if people were awake then they were soon to come without doubt.

And they'd want revenge.

The bell rang once more and David stepped in slowly, watching Gold wearily as he lead Charlotte in by his index finger, the grip her small fingers had tightening as they entered. There was no mistaking his territorial behavior, the way he strutted in and stood nearly a foot in front of his wife as if he knew what to ask or what was going on. He was just show, no talk-just show.

Though he knew Regina was both and without restraint. With the curse broken, the obscure frenemies could have any type of polar change in their relationship but he was none the wiser.

"And to what do I owe this familial visit?" Gold's eyes wandered from the former royals to their offspring, her brown eyes widening when he made contact with them, scurrying behind her mother's legs. Faltering a bit, Regina steadied herself on the glass case beside her, the toddler having no mercy when it came to protection from the things that went bump in the night.

Passing a glance David's way, the Sheriff lifted his hands from his pockets, not being able to help the accusatory tone that laced his words. "You told Snow that Emma would break the curse..."

"So I did..."

"She left town and the curse broke two hour later-She had nothing to do with it."

"I'm aware of her departure but what I'm not aware of is how this pertains to me-Simply stated, why should I care?" With a flip of his hand, David could have sworn the flaky imp of a man was standing before him rather than the pale broker that was spawned from the depths of the curse. "I told you Emma would break the curse but she failed-I never foresaw her being as much of a disappointment as she was or-" His eyes flitted over the makeshift couple, "The two of you being able to look beyond yourselves long enough to see each other."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Regina questioned, growing antsy with the bits and pieces he was throwing their way.

With a sigh of exasperation, Gold tipped from behind the counter without the aid of a cane, as if the curse had lifted all of it's burdens, including those self-inflicted. "Weeks ago, you came to me with the question of why I involved myself in the subterfuge of Albert Spencer and Sidney Glass. You were, at best...puzzled by my involvement, correct?"

David gave a small nod before looking briefly at the eyes that bore into his head, asking the question of way she was never told o f this suspicious meeting. "However, the truth lies in the two of you," he pointed to them briefly, "Your framing was not only to test the waters of your relationship..." He looked to Regina, reminding her of that unfortunate day spent in jail. "But if you two were to break the union you haphazardly created, than perhaps Miss Swan would be of some use to me."

"Emma is not your concern," David near growled, stepping forward even further, much to Regina's chagrin. The last thing they needed was a surprise from the Dark One himself, insulted over being challenged.

"Ah, but dearie, she is. Not only did I tell you that Emma would break the curse but, the child born of _true love_ will break the Queen's curse." A smirk crossed his features and a shiver seemed to course through the air, the imp having more power than he lead on.

The curse was broken and simply,

He was free to be as dark as his soul could take him.

"However, not only was your daughter more engrossed in the details of your marriage, but she simply didn't care about breaking the curse. After her parents were awake and she realized that you were going to stay with..." Regina's name fell silent but they all knew who he was speaking of so it was needless to continue on that point.

Gold turned to David quickly, smiling as if they were friends, as if they were amicable. Simple trickery. "When was the last time that you kissed your wife?" David's eyes met Regina's briefly and Gold stopped their train of thought, holding up his hand. "Your real wife..."

Had Charlotte's arms not been locked securely around her legs, she'd have succumb to her urge to retaliate but instead remained still, only flinching at his words. David cleared his throat, running a hand behind his neck. "A week after Mary Margaret came home from the hospital." He turned to look at Regina, hoping to meet her eyes but found them less than welcoming. "She needed closure.."

"Very well then...Did you feel anything?" He shook his head and the imp smiled once more before turning back around. His hand went to the cabinet that he was found looking in when they'd entered. Pulling down two flasks, he set them on the counter. "Now, it would be, of course, quite cruel to only have one chance at love in a world of second chances. That being the case, we have two...A true love and a soulmate, both which are essentially the same thing. Either can come first but in any case, the second is stronger than the first."

"Gold, what are you saying?" Her heart was nearly beating out of her chest, barely processing the terminology he was throwing her way. Riddles and sarcasm aside, he was actually being up front with her and the information he presented had her eyes widening by the fraction.

He lifted one flask, a gray ash covering it's body in spots and splotches. "This is Emma..." and then he held the other flask, a brilliant indigo near brimming to the top with a light foam procuring the top. "And this is the little one that hides behind your legs."

"Gold-"

"I told you that the child born of true love would break the Queen's curse and she did-both of them, in fact." At those words, her hand reached around for Charlotte's little hand, holding dearly for the words that next escaped him. "My guess is that you brought her along because she kissed your head or your cheek and..." His hands extended by his sides, "...here we are." When Regina was unmoving, David nodded instead, placing a steady hand on her back as he stepped closer. "Does she know about your past?"

With one look to his wife, David spoke up once more, knowing that they would get nothing more from her. "Henry told her..."

"Of course he did," Gold mumbled. "And since true love is a pure feeling that looks beyond faults and flaws to feel something that is unconditional for another, when..." he motioned towards Charlotte... "The other child born of true love kissed her mother without holding her past against her...She broke the dark curse and secondly, filled the void left in you from casting it in the first place."

"So we're..." David motioned to Regina, having to clear that in his mind first. "We're..."

"True love? Soul mates? Essentially yes but since you've found each other and acted on you feelings, you can no longer go back to your firsts..." Not that the Mayor would have a chance to or that the Sheriff could dream of being accepted once more by Snow and her circle but it closure on the piece that they'd been missing.

They weren't forcing this thing, they weren't with each other out of obligation.

It was supposed to be.

"Second loves are a fail-safe in life...by enacting the dark curse, my guess is that your majesty here brought hers forth and thus, yours as well."

Regina nodded at the explanation, still taking in what had been said and resisting the urge to pass out at the new wave of information. There was just, so much to absorb and so much to understand, it was near headache inducing.

And also, thought provoking.

"While I appreciate your insight, I can't help but wonder what you stand to gain from it." It was one thing to know information for a purpose but a complete different one for knowing information just to know it-And that just wasn't the malevolent imp she knew. "You...You wanted the curse broken...didn't you?" Her question hangs unanswered in the air until she answers it herself. Until she realizes that he was manipulating it all behind the scenes-the moves they made, he was expecting them to steps ahead. "You twisted little imp!"

She succumbs to her previous impulses, reaching for him out of habit, out of what's comfortable, out of defense. He was always controlling her, always manipulating the steps in her life and it was infuriating to realize that everything she'd done was just what he needed and knew she would.

Part of her just wishes to snap his neck but she can get no further than a step because the man proclaimed to be her soul mate steps out in front of her, throwing a hand across her shoulders as Charlotte's grip on her legs tightened and she couldn't move if she wanted to.

The smirk on his face is palpable, preferring seeing her grab at air rather than his face. "Ah, ah, ah.." A pointed finger sways in the air that she grasped at and the taunting begins, the playing of her weakness begins, "I would do that if I were you, dearie. After all, you must be careful.."

And once more, one more she's struck still.

"You'd be surprised at how a doctor would be so willing to share confidential patient information after finding out that the patient cursed him for three decades." She stiffened under David's touch, the mention of a certain doctor bringing up memories of that morning.

" _Haven't I-haven't I been good to you, Regina?"_

"You'll be in quite the predicament in a few months..." His hand lifted, pointing at the modes bump that peaked beneath the belt of her coat. "Or earlier..."

" _You know your risks, what your child's risks are-I've taken care of you as my patient, not knowing that you were just a snake in the grass-You and your Prince..."_

"And what do you plan on doing when that time arrives? Certainly, you don't expect to be admitted into our General Hospital-Not as the Evil Queen that stole all of the Happy Endings."

" _There's not a person in these lands that will help you if anything were to befall you or your children; born and unborn."_

" _When complications arise...and they will arise-you will be alone."_

When David's grasp left her shoulders, she felt for the glass casing beside her, something grounding in this whirlwind prison. "David..." She called absently, motioning at the arms around her legs, eyes wayward as she attempted to communicate. There was something trapping about memories, about thoughts you didn't want to have, memories you didn't want to remember. Charlotte's hold and David's hold nearly felt like nooses around her body as time passed, as thoughts echoed and memories played again.

And again..

David pulled Charlotte to his side, much to her protests. Not wanting to be held, she fought out of her father's hold, stumbling in front of her mother with a curious glare. If she didn't want her holding her from behind, than she'd sit in front of her. As prim as her mother, and as graceful as her father, she plopped down on the hardwood floor, crossing her legs so that her back was too her mother, leaning in front of her feet. Balling her fist, she pressed it under her chin and looked at the pawn broker as if to face her fears, giving him the same glare that he usually earned from her mother.

"Why don't we strike a deal..." He reached for the chest beneath the cabinet and placed it on the glass case in front of them all. "Might as well have a show for the audience.." He motioned towards Charlotte, who seemingly watched his every move.

"What kind of deal?" David questioned, not letting him get any farther before explaining.

"Well it's not like she doesn't owe me..." He glanced at Regina's stoic features, "..trust that there are things you are yet to know about your...true love..." Popping open the chest, he set aside a black vial. "Since I have given you one thing-the gift of wisdom," he smirked, "and am about to give you the gift of memories-I expect two allowances in return."

"The gift of memories?" David asked, confused as his brows scrunched once more.

"You really don't think crossing the town line is without consequences, do you? I created the curse, I know the remnants of it's formation and it's disintegration. So like I said, 2," he held up two fingers, "things in return."

"Who said anything about," she cleared her throat upon hearing a rasp beginning to form, "Who said anything about crossing the town line?"

"Oh you didn't _say_ anything...but you **thought** it.." If only she could wipe that smirk off of his face. "Sooner or later you're going to need to leave and when you do, he-" a glance to David, "Will need to have an object, enchanted by this potion," a glance to the black vial, "as a talisman to protect him from losing his memories when he crosses the border with you because unlike you, he was cursed and leaving the parameters of the curse strip all things touched by the curse, in essence-the memories of a past life." With a thud, the chest closed in front of him, "Unfortunately, that means that your little...curse breaker won't be able to cross-Her existence is brought about by true love and thus, broke the rules of the curse but not the curse it self. And a product of the curse cannot leave it's parameters..."

"Than we're not..." She glanced down at Charlotte, none the wiser that they were discussing her, "We're not leaving her here-"

"Oh it's not permanent, dearie-"

"I don't care, I'm not..." She recoiled, feeling once more for that glass case. Getting upset wasn't helping anyone, certainly not herself. "I'm not leaving her-"

"You'll have to-Unless you want to give birth to a premature child in your home with no access to the help it'll need. Otherwise, I suggest you take heed."

Her mouth clamped shut and Gold took a tiny vial from his pocket, pouring the black vial over it so that a few drops fell from it's mouth. "Pour this on the most important thing you own...choose wisely.." He sealed it and handed it over to the weary Prince. "Once you cross, you must never take off what ever item it is that you choose, or you risk all of this being for nothing."

"What to do you want..." David reached for it but stopped short of grabbing it, meeting Gold's eyes.

"Ah it's...quite simple. When you return from your...excursion of sorts, I expect that you'll return with Miss Swan..." David's mouth opened but he wasn't given the chance to speak. "There's some unfinished business between us."

"I'm not handing my daughter over to you..."

"Once again, you'll have no choice-Don't worry, no harm will come to her. Besides, she'll be joined by Henry, which I'm sure you count as fare in return." He looked over Regina and once again, her hands were mentally around his neck. "And also when you return, I'll need a strand of your hair...both of you. It seems that the 'twru wuv' strands from you and your first love are useless to me now..."

"What do you want with them?"

"That's none of your concern." He smirked and placed the vial back in the chest, "Now, I believe we're through..."

Indeed they were.

X

The ride home was indefinitely silence, certainly matching the silence that greeted them on each passing road, as if noise of any kind was a foreign concept. Then again, the silence on the inside was appreciated, giving them time to process all they they had learned, all that they had heard. There was so much, neither of them knew where to begin.

And they wouldn't soon know either.

The silence was broken as they approached Mifflin street, yells and chants being heard as they pulled forward.

"There she is!" Scattered yells of the same kind rattled through the crowd as it became obvious where everyone had gone-What was brewing was an uprising, a riot, rallying against the Queen that took everything from them.

"Shit..." David mumbled under his breath, seeing the bodies engulf his truck as he pulled into the driveway slowly. Manic hands pounded against the passenger window and Regina jumped back, surprise taking over her instincts as David slowed to a halt.

Bracing himself, David opened his door, swarmed by the crowd. A hand grabbed at his arm, pulling him into their circle. "You're safe now, you don't have to be with her!" He jerked his arm away, looking to see that Grumpy was behind the offense.

"She needs to pay!" A voice yelled out, followed by cheers of approval.

"C'mon Charming, she needs to suffer like we suffered," added Grumpy once more, watching as the Prince was still, not seeming to hear him.

"She doesn't need to do anything but get inside-" David pulled away from their holds, pushing his way out of the crowd before another hand grabbed at him once more.

He turned around, meeting Grumpy eye to eye. "Snow told me what you did to her but I didn't want to believe it-How could you choose _her_ over Snow, over your family?"

"She IS my family..." David jerked away once more as the crowd continued to surround them. He opened the back door and let Charlotte latch onto him, near paralyzed by the commotion around her. She, like her, mother was not a fan of crowds, let alone hostile ones.

Her arms were like a noose around his neck but he didn't mind, holding a hand out as he opened the passenger door to hear cheers and boos in an assortment of noise that only left a ringing in his ears. "Back up!" He pushed at the chest of a particularly eager rioter, not letting anyone get too close as he held an arm around her waist, hoping to usher them to the door without interference.

"David, they deserve justice.." He knew that voice but didn't bother to turn around, hurrying up the steps with his girls in tow. He only stopped when he felt her pull back in his hold and turned around to see someone tugging her back towards the crowd. Without even thinking, he had his revolver in his hand and a silent crowd before him, looking at him in bewilderment.

But only for a second.

"Who's side are you really on?!"

"You're with her now?"

"She cast a spell on you!"

He paid them no mind, opening the door and setting Charlotte down before hurrying them both inside.

"David, they just want justice."

That damned voice again.

He turned to her, eyes wide as he breathed heavily, "Can I talk to you for a minute.."

She paused, turning to the crowd before taking off her gloves in the brisk air. "I'll be right back..."

They riled even further, seemingly angry over everything as he lead her in the door and shut it behind him; definitely locking it as soon as he could, not wanting to take any chances.

Regina looked up from the foyer, holding her and Charlotte's coat in her arms, eyeing the pair as she hung them up. "I don't want her here..."

David looked up as if he didn't hear her and Regina enunciated shaking her head, "I said that I don't want her here."

"Regina-"

"She let Emma run off with my son-"

"I did no such thing-And even if I did, he's not your son." Silence punctuated the air as Charlotte looked back and forth between the adults, curiosity locked in her eyes.

Without a word, she ran upstairs, for reasons they didn't understand at the time but didn't pay attention to. All that seemed to matter was the resentment coursing through all three of them.

It's not long before silence is broken by a handful of snark, "Oh well if he's **not** my son then I assume that you're **not** a hypocritical, pretentious princess who thinks the world is made of rainbow kisses and unicorn stickers."

"Ten seconds..." the worn out Prince mumbled, "...they lasted ten seconds."

"Well I'm not!" Snow argued, "Henry is Emma's son and I stick by that."

"Oh for Heaven's sake Mary Margaret!" slamming her hand on the railing of the staircase, unconsciously leaning slightly towards the other bane of her existence, "You're no more a mother than Emma is. Giving up your flesh and blood for the greater good." Despite her strong tone, she was faltering, wavering just a tad at the straightening of her back. Despite the pain that shot up, she bit the inside of her cheek and kept a straight face, not about to give into that god-awful schoolteacher.

"Because of you! Because of YOUR curse-You came to take her after the curse struck, after you had HIM," She makes direct, eye contact with the man she used to call her husband, "Wounded within an inch of his life-I made the only decision possible so that she could come back and save us..." with one more glance she looks to David. "...from you.." and back to Regina.

There is a pause; a pregnant pause as all three breathed heavily into the tension that filled the room. Regina breaks the silence and says, resting her palm below her navel, "This-this is getting us nowhere. I don't even know why you're here and frankly, I don't care-I don't care what you had to do then. All I care is about is right now." pointing a fingernail towards the ground. "If I have to leave, to get him back, then so be it." She spoke, knowing what they knew; Mary Margaret could take from it what she wanted but the fact of the matter is that her son was out there and if they followed through with their end of the deal, she'd have him soon enough.

"Regina-" David protests, even though he knows that they nearly have no choice, nothing is set in stone just yet.

"Then so...be it." She repeats stoically, refusing to make the effort of meeting his eye. Not now.

Sensing the tension Mary Margaret looks between them, not just between all of them but between the couple in front of her despite David being by her side rather than the other way around. Clearing her throat, she clutches the gloves in her hands and says, "If you leave, I wouldn't be so sure that the town would be welcoming of your return..." She looked to the windows, the scattered crowd still on the lawn, "As you can already tell, they're not very happy with you being here now."

With a heavy sigh, David gets over his internal eye roll before sharing a glance with his wife, her features going from behooved to incredulous as the pixie haired princess'gall. "You can't be serious. Be put in exile again? Old tricks..." She scoffed rolling her eyes at the makeshift punishment.

Leaving her side, David returned to the door, one hand secure around the knob, "Thank you for coming inside but I need you to leave."

"You invited me..." Mary Margaret argued, near insulted that he was serious

"And now I'm asking you to leave...I wanted to talk to you but if you can't go five minutes without making threats..." He shook his head, trailing off as he unlocked the door, "I just need you to leave."

"Why because it's the truth ad you'd rather your concubine not know it?!"

"Mary Margaret!" David exclaims without reproach, surprised at her words despite knowing how deep the well of resentment ran between the two women.

Regina's mouth opens with a retort but once more her hand drifts to below her navel in an uncertain act of retreat that David immediately recognizes. Snows eyes flitter between them both, tears welling up as she sees them for what they are; a family. One she was rudely extracted from. Snatching her gloves closer to her body she turns to leave but not without one last word. "You're nothing but a witch. I meant what I said. If you leave, there is no returning, Regina." "

You insufferable-" Regina starts, quite ready to go another round with her enemy, but Davids puts his arm out to silence her.

Turning to the woman he used to call his wife, he opens the door with as much as she needs to slip out. "Mary Margaret, I wont ask you again. Please leave my house."

She reared her head back with an impalpable sense of hurt shining in her eyes. His house. His family...This family that she had been cut out of. There was no longer a them, there was no longer a he and her and the way in which he stood before her was proof of it.

Their eyes met in a final glance, unsaid words lingering between them. "You'll regret this." It didn't have to be said but her eyes said enough. Tear shining in them, she dabbed at dark mascara before turning on her heels and sharing one last glance at the bane of her existence leaning against the banister

One last glance before the door slammed close.

She didn't mean to. She really didn't mean to but this was more than she bargained for when she woke up this morning. All of this drama, All of this angst-it was all too much.. So when the heavy white door slammed shut, her body involuntarily flinched. And much to her expectance, David was making his way to her.

"Regina.."

"What?"

"Do you really want to leave? Do you want to do this?" He couldn't react until he gauged her reaction, until he got where she was going with this.

Regina was silent, even breaths being the only thing between them as she attempted to calm herself, quell the fire burning within her and the flare ups in her back. Pregnancy was a bitch but Mary Margaret Blanchard was a bigger one; and to be quite honest, she had nothing to say to him. Leaving met leaving Charlotte-it felt like she was choosing 2 children over 1, choosing Henry and they baby's safety over Charlotte. And that was something she didn't care to process right then and there.

Seeing her deadpanned eyes, he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear as she calmed herself, hoping to ground her in ways she wouldn't admit that she needed. "Regina..."

Her eyes fell closed in an effort to remove herself from the moment, it's always easier that way; to mentally leave rather than physically leave. But the decision was switched for her when mere nuisances became aches and pains that begged for comfort and soothing, unable to be ignored. "I'm gonna go lie down.."

With that she looked down, giving him the notion that she wanted space, just a little space. He watched her tentatively, stopping her to press a chaste kiss to her lips that she didn't reciprocate. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine..." She pulled from him and started in her own direction. From a distance, she glanced over her shoulder, "Don't follow me," catching him in his thoughts and actions, "Go check on Charlotte, She'll be disappointed that Ms. Blanchard left." With that, she continued towards the living room and slid the double doors to a close, hoping that the dull sounds of rioting would soon cease.

As if that was a possibility.

X

Of course Regina was right and Charlotte's disappointment was written all over her face as she pulled at the little dress she had thrown on, blue tulle bubbled beneath her waist and he swore she actually looked like a princess.

His princess.

But her pouting didn't last long and soon enough she was running out the room, "I'll go show mommy!" She announced, holding at the skirt of her dress as she ran down the hallway.

"Charlotte wait!" He cautioned, hoping to catch up with her before she ran out of his site. If he knew Regina, and he did, then something was wrong. Of course she wouldn't admit it, she never did. It was a little pesky attribute called pride that seemed to sit on her shoulder like the devil's advocate and prevent her from doing things that others would consider 'sane'.

Being that she had been put on bed rest and she'd done everything but rest in bed, he was more than a bit worried about her. With the curse freshly broken and Whale and Mary Margaret's words still lingering in her mind, she was bound to be restless and thus, more stressed than she should be.

Part of him wanted to rationalize that it was easier with Charlotte but of course with Charlotte there was no known curse or prophecy, nothing to loom over them. Now, they had no one but each other-literally. The town would be out for blood.

They practically _were_ already.

"Mommmmmy!" He walked down the stairs to see Charlotte reaching for the dividend that would let her slide the double doors open. But alas, she was too short and her tippy toes weren't helping so she resorted to reaching and knocking. "Mommy..."

The doors slowly slid apart and Charlotte backed away, immediately spinning around in her blue princess dress. "Mommy, look!" She spun around until she got dizzy, coming to a sloppy stop with a giggle that she couldn't suppress.

Her mother smiled weakly, leaning on the white wood, "You look absolutely gorgeous..."

She tipped on her toes. "Henry said Ms Blanchard had dresses like this and she was the fairest...I wanted to show her..."

"Charlie, why don't you go change sweetie so we can have a round of horsey." Anything to keep her from continuing. her big brown eyes got even larger before she ran up the stairwell. "Careful!" He called after her, redirecting his attention to the other familiar pair of brown eyes in his life. Though, this pair weren't large at all, rather hazed in fact as she swayed on her feet, much to his surprise.

With large steps, he bounded to her side but she shook her head innocently, holding onto that damned white wood, "I'm fine, David..."

"If I'm not allowed to lie to you then you're not allowed to lie to me either, Regina..." He knew the truth because at this point, her weight was nearly leaned into him completely, as if holding her own self up was a task. He removed himself from the side grip he had around her waist and felt her falter, immediately holding steadfast to both sides of her waist, her own hands stretched onto his shoulders.

"Just stay right here..." He lingered against her, kissing the siding her temple as if to agree. "If I...weren't so sure that I'd be turned away," a weak chuckle left her briefly, "I would...tell you to take me to that damned hospital," her eyes never met his, her hands that held his shoulders losing their grip, "I'm about 99 percent sure that something's not right..."

He near froze, but controlled his impulse. He couldn't freak out on her, no he couldn't do that. She'd never forgive him if he froze on her, if he made her go through this by herself because he was checking out emotionally, mentally-just leaving the building. "If I were to leave, it wouldn't just be for the interests of Henry..."

"I wouldn't let you go alone, Regina. I'd have to go with you..."

"No, no.." She gripped his shirt with the pads of her fingers pressing into the fabric. "You have to stay-You have to tend to Charlotte..""

"Regina I can't let you leave by yourself-Ruby, we can let Ruby keep Charlotte. She already thinks that Ruby is her godmother and Ruby adores Charlotte." He felt her grips slipping and discreetly bent his knees, feeling for hers before picking up the weight that leaned on him.

"David..." She warned, feeling herself become airborne. "What are you doing?"

"Taking care of my family"

Indeed he was, taking his wife upstairs only to find their daughter fast asleep as if the day had tuckered her out as well. Maybe she was, knowing that her dress could be found discarded in her room as if she was in a rush to play horsey yet found herself asleep on her parents bed.

Nevertheless, he laid Regina down with the intent of letting her get some rest, thinking that she was as tired, if not more than Charlotte was and would appreciate a good nap. In the meantime, he was left to watch as the crowd dissipated slowly until no one remained ant the lawn was littered with signs and brooms that he guessed were supposed to end up being makeshift torches.

When his phone rang, he was rummaging in the kitchen, wondering what they would eat when the time came; though, being that it was Ruby that called, he figured that she would have an answer to that inquiry. "Ruby?"

_"THE CURSE IS BROKEN!"_

"I know, Ruby."

_"I WAS TALKING TO GRANNY AND IT JUST-What the hell do you mean you know?! You felt it too and you didn't call me, I thought I was crazy!"_

"Well that you're not wrong about."

_"If I were in front of you right now, I'd give you a chance to admire the finger between my ring and index."_

"Well maybe you'll have a chance-I need a favor."

_"Does this have anything to do with the riot?"_

"How'd you know about that?"

_"Well since Emma is nowhere to be found and you're AWOL, someone had to be some type of Law and Order in this town, o when someone called the police to complain about the noise, I told them to stop griping."_

"Really? You didn't come and see what it was about?"

_"Hell no! Didn't you hear me? I'm the only person working right now, I'm not going in alone."_

"You might have to get used to that."

_"What do you mean?"_

"Emma left town and took Henry with her?"

_"Seriously? How's Regina taking it?"_

"I think you know the answer to that question-It's just been a long day and I was wondering if when you get here, I could talk to you about something."

_"Well 1. Who said I was coming over there and 2. About what?"_

"Well, being that I can't leave the house and Regina isn't doing too hot and I-"

_"-burn water, you want me to swing by Granny's, pick up you guys' specials and bring them over."_

"Pretty please..."

_"I don't know, David, I'm catching enough flack as is."_

"About what?"

_"Having hung around Regina during the curse and of course-Snow is still upset with me because of the whole not-telling-her-that-you-were-screwing Regina thing."_

"I am not screwing, Regina!"

_"She's pregnant, David."_

"..."

_"..."_

"Can you bring the food over or not?"

_"I'll see you in 20 minutes."_

"I owe ya."

_"I expect diamonds from the mines."_

The line clicked off and he chuckled, closing the refrigerator as he stuffed his phone in his pocket, making his way upstairs to check on the girls. If Charlotte was still asleep, he'd probably put her in her own bed to keep the twisting and turning to a minimum and let Regina sleep a bit more peacefully.

Though when he arrived, Charlotte wasn't the problem.

She was completely content, sleeping in the middle of the bed with her mother's ring finger held between her grasps, absently sucking her tongue. It was a habit she'd had since birth and even though Ruby joked that she looked like a "distressed koala" while doing it, he thought it was too cute for words.

So she was fine, fast asleep and fine; what worried him was the fact that her mother wasn't. No her mother lied on her side wide awake, eyes watching the toddler's every move, as minimal as they were. She let her hold the finger with her wedding band and din't move an inch, only breathing in and out as Charlotte's slept peacefully.

Padding softly into their bedroom, he drew her attention shortly but it was only for a moment until he moved to take Charlotte to her room. "No.." She protested and it was then that he saw it; as soon as he tried to move the mini Mayor, the grip she had on the Mayor's finger tightened and he knew they were fine as they were, even if one wasn't sleeping as she should be.

Instead, he joined them, kicking off his socks as he climbed on top of the covers so that Charlotte was between her two parents, koala face and all.

"I don't know how I can leave her after finding out that she..."T here were so many things that were found out and that were learned, she didn't know where to start or if she would even be able to. "David, she broke the curse..." He nodded into the pillow on his side, brushing the hair from Charlotte's face, "I know..."

She was the only person that saw her mother's fault's, her actions, her flaws and her misgiving and-without hesitation-put them to the side. She took all the conditions and threw them away. In the end, her mother was her mother and she couldn't let a fairytale book change that, truth or not.

"I spoke to Ruby."

"Did you tell her?" She asked softly, wanting to keep Charlotte asleep as long as possible.

"No, I thought we'd tell her together-She'll be over in a few.." Her response was a hum of approval, eyes straining to hold eye contact with him. She didn't want to talk about the true love situation or what it had to do with them. The children-That was her priority.

"Are you feeling better?" The question he never seemed to tire of asking-always wondering and always waiting to get the answer out of her.

With the purse of her lips, she didn't answer immediately rather, settling into the pillow beneath her head as if she had to think about it. "No..."

No, she wasn't.

"David."

"Hmm?"

"I think we're gonna end up leaving town."

"I think so too.." He conceded, leaning over Charlotte to reach for her waist, inadvertently getting close enough to only touch her stomach. "Are you okay with that?"

"No...I don't think I am." She didn't think she would ever be okay with leaving Charlotte behind, with Ruby or anybody for however long they would be gone. It just didn't sit well with her

"Do we have an choice?" It was more of an indirect statement laced in a question. An attempt to quell her misgivings about the situation by letting her know that their options were non existent.

And with a sigh, she was hard pressed to admit that, "No...I don't think we do."


	24. Quiver

He couldn't be serious.

Of course, his face was straight and neither of them laughed, but he couldn't be serious. Any favor she had in mind was equated with food runs or pulling extra hours to cover for his and Emma's absence not...not this. The shock had set in and the ability to even sputter an answer was lost on her. What could she say to him? He wouldn't ask if he didn't need to and certainly Regina, Regina wouldn't leave her little girl behind if it wasn't impossible to take her.

"I need to talk to Regina..." She needed to hear it from her-She needed confirmation. Ruby Lucas was a cursed werewolf that was a waitress gone deputy in a sleepy town in Maine. She'd never raised a child nor had she spent more than a day with one by herself.

Rounding the corner of the granite counter, she was stopped by David's immediate side-step, eyes flicking between her and the stairs. "She's sleeping..."

"David, I need to talk to her-You can't expect me to just go along with and not talk to her."

X

There was a difference between them and other people. Other people hadn't been cursed, other people weren't fairytale characters. Other people didn't have to worry about the impending doom that seemed to loom over their heads, waiting to drop upon them. Other people felt weighted while they couldn't move, cinder blocks tied to their ankles. Other people didn't feel immediate panic when the other side of the bed was cold and not warmed by a body that was supposed to be there.

Charlotte remained, however, her small body having found recluse by curling into him when the other side of the bed went cold. He stirred lightly, rubbing at his eyes to make sure that his conclusions were correct. Leaning on his elbow to keep the weight of his body from the small human beside him, he sighed heavily when the conclusions were correct as his legs were already swinging from the bed.

Charlie stirred but never woke, the comfort of her father being replaced by a body pillow her mother truly appreciated when there was no warm body, when there was no comfort. But they didn't talk about those days, days when the floor was more familiar than the ceiling and arguments more prevalent than an attempt at a warm smile.

Why bring up the past when the present was chaotic enough?

With the door closed behind him, the soft pads of his feet became hurried steps thundering against descending wood. He had half a mind to just call out her name but the noise in the kitchen was enough to lead him there. Tired, barefoot and shirtless, David's eyes were half open when he walked in the room and much to her chagrin, he didn't look that pleasant.

Across the counter, splayed bowls and ingredients. Almond milk, flour, apples and the like-which almost made his stomach rumble. The other side, in this seemingly organized disorder were pans and waffle irons and more gadgets he either couldn't name or hadn't reached his coherency for the morning.

"Regina..." He drawled sleepily, watching as she picked up a peeler and skinned an apple he was all too familiar with. The sun had barely rose and she was already showered, dressed (comfortably, he'd give her that), and prepared to cook what looked like a breakfast feast.

She didn't answer, peeling her apples as if he didn't stand in front of her. She almost seemed to be avoiding his eyes because any attempt of his to catch them was thwarted. She looked the other way or turned around to grab something else he didn't know the name of.

"Where'd you get apples from?" He was surprised at himself, that he'd even noticed. He barely knew his name and yet he could recall that she hadn't been to her office for weeks, and yet here she was peeling her famous apples without so much of a glance in his direction.

"Ugh..." He groaned, sliding his bare feet against the tile as he rubbed at his neck, "Regina, tell me you didn't..."

She tried to be coy, sliding her peeler against the curves of what was turning out to be a perfect apple until his question hit her and she nicked her finger, hissing at the small cut. David started to rush over but she was already rolling up her sleeves with the shake of her head, "It's nothing..." He turned on the faucet, making sure it was warm before coaxing her to put her hand under its pour.

"David-"

He left the kitchen without so much as a word, still wearing the sleepy swagger of a Sheriff with issues he didn't express. Wincing at the constant heat on what was just a small cut, she used her other hand to turn of the water, wringing her hands lightly with the towel beside the sink. With a careless effort, she tossed the apple in the trash just as he reemerged, a bluish, pinkish, green band aid in his hands.

"That's from Charlotte's bathroom..."

"Gimme your hand..." Hesitant to his callous tone, she put her finger in his waiting palm and watched as he wrapped the band around what was a minuscule cut, nothing to be concerned about. "I'm upset with you..." His tone warmed a bit, though he wouldn't look in her direction, his finger smoothing down the blue part of the band-aid. "But I'm not going to yell..."

Taking her hand back, she watched as he discarded the wrappings and looked up to meet her gaze, his own eyes being tinged with a bit of sadness. "You told me not to tell you what to do and fine-fine, I'm not...But I'll request that you never...ever do that again..."

Rather than deny like her mind was telling her or fight like the hothead that she was, the least of all the instincts won out and she nodded sheepishly, feeling the sadness in his eyes to be more like disappointment which made it all worse. It's not that she thought he wouldn't find out, but she just knew how Charlotte like the apples and what was a big breakfast without them? It's not like her little girl could have cinnamon or chocolate or any of the additives kids like to splurge on. Apple bits were the next best thing in her mind.

Even if she had to go to City Hall, by herself, at the crack of dawn to get them.

She just wanted her to be happy. She wanted to do all that she could to lessen the blow-to make what looked like abandonment feel like a short vacation. Whatever took the guilt away and made Charlotte smile-she'd do it. Even if the look her husband gave her put a lump in her throat and the guilt right back in her heart.

He saw the surrender in her eyes, the way she stepped down from a platform that could have been anger and just shook her head. He didn't want to fight either so he didn't yell, but he didn't want to upset her either, even if she didn't show it. Perhaps she had the right motives-which he was sure fell in the interests of Charlotte, but practically he couldn't excuse it.

"Are you feeling okay?" That was the next question, that question that always got asked. It didn't matter if it was eight in the morning and she was already up and about; he knew that when it came to certain things, she'd employ mind over matter to get the job done. When it came to Charlotte, he knew that she would do anything, as would he, but with Regina there was something about boundaries when it came to their children.

She didn't have any.

And that's what scared him. She could have been hurt or attacked or something could have gone wrong and she would have been stranded at City Hall in the middle of a town that was searching for her head, and he wouldn't be there to protect her, to save her. And if he couldn't do his job-if he couldn't keep the one promise that he promised not to break-and keep her safe, he'd never forgive himself and would have trouble forgiving her if the blame fell in her lap.

"I'm fine..." She spoke curtly, turning away to tend to the apples on the other side of the counter, freshly washed and ready to be peeled.

David sighed as she gave him her back, no doubt peeling another apple to avoid his gaze and shield her own. He didn't doubt himself, knowing that he was right and the safety of all of them was on the line-sneaking out at the break of day helped no one. With another exhale of deflation, bare feet slid against the tile once more and he surrendered himself, still upset but not wishing for her to be upset.

"But in a few hours...when we have to tell a toddler that her parents are leaving her, I won't be...and neither will she," she slid the peeler tersely against the skin of an apple, hoping that the tears in her eyes would fail to materialize. "She doesn't have friends her own age, David-She's a baby and we...and Henry, are all she's ever had." With a callous hand, she dropped the now bare apple in the other basket, setting the peeler down.

She felt hands on her shoulders, gently moving as if to calm, but she was ignorant of the effect. Turning slightly, the hands that held the counter lost their grip and she met his gaze, hoping that he understood, if only a little bit. "She needs her parents...And If I can't give her that, I'll be damned to not give her what she wants-Whatever I can do..."

"I know..." He breathed, a step forward bringing them closer and her head to his chest in a much needed breath. His hand washed against her back in smoothing circles and he had a point in being upset, but so did she. He could only tell her one thing, "I know..."

Because, like her, it was breaking him too.

X

She ate like her father. As dainty as the Mayor knew she could be, and as similar to her as her daughter was, it came as a surprise that Charlotte ate like...well, a small mare. In comparison to David's God-awful eating habits, she could say the same about him, both of them sitting in their 'comfort clothes' at the table with hunched backs and elbows on the table.

Normally, there was a glare and suggestive gesture, reprimanding cringe-worthy posture and slop like eating habits; add Henry to the bunch and she felt like she was at the stables. But of course none of it mattered, not when Charlotte was smiling and all she could do was smile back, watching as her small pancake stack, cut into squares, and disappeared before her eyes.

"Mommy..." Charlotte called, her mouth barely holding the pancakes in her mouth.

Suppressing a laugh, Regina slid the stack of napkins closer to the little girl in hopes that she would get the subtlety. Plopping her sticking hands on top, Charlotte picked up about 3 over-sized white napkins, 2 that she didn't need and pulled at her face with the white material.

Yup, that was David.

"Can I have a waffle?" Charlotte requested having smelled them from the time she woke up. They had to be somewhere and telling by the look in her eyes, Regina knew that she'd wait all day to get them.

"I'll get it..." David spoke up, eggs filling his mouth as he reached for the napkin stack with as much grace as his daughter.

"No, it's fine..." Having barely pushed her chair in, in the first place, she stands with a lean against the table and disappears behind the wall, passing a hand over Charlotte's head.

"Daddy..." She grins, waiting for him to look up, "...you're messy..."

Clicking his tongue as he dabbed his mouth, he couldn't help resisting the flick of an egg bit towards her, "...you too kiddo."

Regina reappeared with a stack of waffles that were set in the middle of the tables. Big brown eyes met even bigger brown eyes, filled with excitement as one was set onto her plate. Turning her back to get the syrup, Regina barely caught the girl stuffing an edge into her mouth, "Tak quuu mommy.." She turned her back around to a full mouth and chuckled lightly, pushing stray strands from her face. At the gesture, David averted his eyes knowing that he had gotten Charlotte ready and left her hair down, to avoid getting in even more trouble than for leaving it down.

"Charlotte..." Her mother prompted gently, taking a knife to the waffle, apple chunks peaking beneath brown squares.

"Mommy..." Charlotte mimicked, calling in the same tone that had been used by her mother.

"What would you like to do today..." After cutting horizontally, she moved to cut vertically so that the bites weren't too large. "Anything at all..."

Charlotte looked up with big eyes, as David did the same. Breakfast was one thing but he was in a place of conservation-ergo, what happened to bed rest? Charlotte on the other hand, had a gaze of curiosity, tapping wonderingly on the table with her finger as if she were debating raising the budget for the Sheriff's department in her head.

Just like her mother.

"Is it my birthday?"

With a smile, she sat down in the seat beside her daughter in hopes that she wasn't getting too suspicious. Patting down the stray strands of Charlotte's hair, Regina shook her head lightly; "No sweetie, not yet...but, we can do anything you want. Just you and me..." Her finger met the toddler's nose with a gentle touch and the girl giggled scrunching her nose at the fleeting tickle.

"Well..." When the list began, David could've sworn he was listening to his own wife speak. Give Regina, age 4 or 34, an inch and they'll take a mile all the while smiling at you. One glance in Regina's direction told him that nothing Charlotte was telling her would be turned down and that, that's what broke the smile from his face.

"She needs her parents...And If I can't give her that, I'll be damned to not give her what she wants-Whatever I can do..."

"Whoah there...sounds like a busy day..." David interjected, earning a glare from one pair of brown eyes and a scowl from the other; one for interrupting mid-sentence and the other for interrupting at all. "What about Daddy?" His feigned hurt at being left out was enough to break Charlotte but not Regina, who leaned back against her chair with a wearing suspicion. She knew what he was saying even if he wasn't saying it.

While the younger brunette seemed to stop to think about his proposition, David stood and gathered the empty dishes on table, catching the eyes of the older brunette in the process. "We can play horsey...and ohhh Daddy, can we go to the pet store..."

The dishes in his hands nearly slipped from his hands and one look towards Regina told him that she wasn't going to help, her hands moving to lift a mug to her lips. "Oh I'm...I'm sorry Charlie horse, the pet store is closed.." A.K.A, we step in there and the town riots once more.

Through chews and a full mouth she mumbles, "...stables..."

Regina lifts a brow, casting a look in David's direction as she mumbled into her mug as well, "...wonder if that's closed too..."

"Actually..." He moved to change the subject, "Daddy has plans with Mommy too.."

He'd never seen knuckles around a mug turn from pink to white so quickly, "We do?" Regina questioned, giving him the same twisted eyebrow that Charlotte was, even though she was multi-tasking with devouring the rest of her waffle.

"Yeah...Ruby and Granny are coming over for dinner..." He made haste with the dishes, taking them in the direction of the kitchen as Charlotte's eyes grew wide at the mention of the only two people outside of her family that she actually spent time with.

Cautioning herself, she set her mug down gently and passed another hand over Charlotte's hair as she left, following after the Sheriff that had no doubt left in the nick of time.

"Dinner with Ruby and Granny?" She questions, stepping into the kitchen to see him running the dishwater.

"Anything you want?" He repeated his wife's words just as she had repeated his.

"Yes, David-Anything she wants. It won't kill me to bake a pie and braid her hair."

"No, it won't but then you have to scrapbook and have a tea party with Mr. Bear and color Winnie the Pooh-"

"And run a marathon, and dodge bullets and bungee jump from skyscrapers-" Her voice surpassed his interrupting his tangent and coaxing his gaze from the dishes to her eyes, "right? That's what you heard?"

"Yes!" He exclaimed, not understanding why she didn't understand. "The more you do, the worse you can get-how'd you like to cut this day short with a road trip to Boston because you over did it?"

She deflated at his tone, a hand reaching for the dark wood of the archway, "I thought you understood..."

"I do-But I thought you understood that there are limits, Regina..."

She was silent and he looked up to see that he was in this alone. She had left the conversation and left the moment-she was done. Don't tell her that there are limits to making her child happy, she won't understand and even worse, she'll be frustrated to realize that he was right.

"I'm...going to go lie down..." The stare that met his was enough to make him recoil-It's what he was trying to avoid this morning, trying not to upset her, but her sensitivity seemed to surpass him and he seemed to never say the right thing.

"Regina-"

"No..." she stopped him, curling her hand around the base of her stomach as she turned to leave, "..because now...now, I don't feel well.."

Of all the times he'd asked the question, this was the one time he got an honest answer, the one time he didn't ask it.

X

The walls were painted and primed. The currents were hung. Miniature towels, cloth diapers and the like were washed, ironed, folded and put away in customary Regina Mills fashion. Old fashion stuffed animals could be found on shelves, in the crib, a dark cherry wood crib adorned with blue and off white settings that he prayed matched. He was busying himself with the small details, were to but the dark wood horse, how should the rabbit be sitting on a shelf, should onesies go to the right or the left-the type A things his wife would usually worry about.

He wouldn't stop touching anything until everything was absolutely perfect. Until he could see a bit of her and a bit of him in everything he touched. Of course he was also hiding out, avoiding the looks or glances he might get. The feelings within him were at a cross of feeling guilty and knowing that he was right, but also feeling guilty about it.

All she wanted to do was spend as much time with their daughter as she could, and so did he. They were both leaving and they were both going to miss her and suffer through the separation for the greater good of all those involved. They needed to leave, but they also needed to come back and all of that would happen, but it wouldn't be easy.

It didn't take long to eat breakfast and he had sought solace in the locked room that no one had entered about an hour before so it should be around 11 and Charlotte's monstrous list should be beginning after a well-deserved rest for the Mayor and Charlotte indulging in sleep as well, just for the heck of it. The little wonder always could fall asleep at the drop of a hat, delighting in some shut-eye whenever she got a chance.

Fiddling with the currents to make sure that they were straight, and of course, left with no creases, he found the window to have something more interesting; a dwarf.

She didn't want any trouble.

She and Charlotte were merely rolling the dough when the doorbell rang. She paused, casting a look towards the stairs and when she didn't hear David's footsteps, she could only guess that he was in 'the room' with the door locked, once again. Untying her apron from behind, Regina lifted a brow in Charlotte's direction, "And who might that be?"

Charlotte mumbled, "Dunno.." looking up to her mother with a sheepish but guilty glance, holding the stolen apple pieces in her mouth as if they were gold.

Noting that they were three apple slices short from what was left in the bowl, she laughed lightly and pulled the apron from her head and ran her hands through her hair quickly before passing a hand over Charlotte's, "Stay right here, sweetie..." Charlotte nodded, having no qualms about being left with the baking supplies.

"And stay out of the apples..."

Regina cast a narrowed eye over her shoulder, to which Charlotte returned two of her own, mimicking her mother's glare. Turning to walk towards the foyer, she peered out the small windows and with a sigh opened the door, only slightly but enough to bare her face, "You.."

Grumpy snorted, knowing that she was not the one beyond reproach, "YOU."

Seems mimicking was a theme for the day.

"Can I help you? Or have you taken a day off from the exhilarating life of a custodian to become a parrot?"

Unbelieving of her audacity, the dwarf rolled his eyes with a hidden smirk, "...and you, your majesty? Taken to becoming a recluse?"

"Awww." The Mayor coos, her head falling slightly to the side, "...such big words for such a little man.."

"Cut it out, Regina! I'm not here for you-in fact, if it weren't for David you'd be dead by now." His threats fell on already dead, un-phased ears. "Where is he?"

"He? Half of the population is a 'he' dear, I'm afraid you'll have to be a tad more specific."

The dwarf growled, hands balling at his side, "The Sheriff! David-"

"He's not available." She responded flatly, eyes fanning over the small expanse of the dwarf's body, "..but feel free to make an appointment next time." With the haste of a Queen, she moves to close the door and finds a foot to be intercepting her, "Your foot, dwarf." She reminds him as if he'd fallen prey to amnesia after placing it there, "Unless you'd like to part with it, I suggest-"

Before her threat could materialize a paler hand grabbed out above hers, heavy breath following behind it. "Leroy..." He breathed out, having ran to the door.

"Finally!" The dwarf exclaimed, having grown weary with entertaining the Queen. "Get a handle on your mistress..." David's hand immediately stretched out to the other side of the doorframe, making it so that any advances met his forearm and not Grumpy's neck.

He turned and she knew that look, that look that was telling her to leave. How could she just walk away from this pretentious dwarf that had the audacity to, not only call her out of her name, but as though he had a right to demand things from her. The former monarch wasn't acting as though she had never done anything wrong, but the little man before her was.

"Go..." He whispered-though that wasn't what prompted her. What prompted her was Charlotte's voice ringing in the background, calling after her mother to come back to the kitchen.

"I'm really getting tired of this..." She whispered in David's direction as she turned, though the dwarf caught wind of it.

"Brought it on yourself, sister!" He yelled to make sure she heard him and David shook his head, hating that they baited her to rile her and then wanted to get upset when she reacted.

"Leroy, what do you want?"

Rearing his head back, Leroy lifted his hands in mock surrender, "What's a dwarf got to do to see the guy that supposed to be his brother-an honorary dwarf..."

"Well now's not a very good time."

"Never gonna be a good time, s'long as you're with the witch.."

With a roll of his eyes and a weary exhale, the Prince stepped back and slammed the door, catching wind rather than a dwarf's foot. He wasn't going to stand there and fight but also wasn't going to entertain the dwarf's bashing. He should have just said what he had to say, because once the insults started rolling in, David wasn't hearing anything.

And so the dwarf's call fell on his ears; they were deaf too.

Back in the kitchen, the two brunettes of his life stood in the kitchen, well one stood and the other sat on a stool so that the other one wouldn't have to lift her. It was a good system; Regina cut the apples, placed the apples in the bowl and occasionally turned her back as if she didn't know that the toddler would take this opportunity to stuff two or three slices in her mouth.

She didn't care, even if it did mean slicing a few more apples on her end.

With the dough finished and the apples ready, the pie was set to be in the oven with a hint of apple spice sprinkling the top, minus any cinnamon-something that was hard to come by. There was a comfortable silence between them, shared by small glances and the occasional smile-the bubble had yet to burst and she was thankful for that but it was going to come soon...

Without warning, the smaller brunette jumped down from her stool and walked around the bend, disappearing so that only her bow was visible from the sight of the counter. "Charlotte, honey-where are you going?" There was silence, save for the occasional scrape across the tile, accompanied by small heaves and breaths until an island chair made its way around the bend. Catching her breath from the small trek and patting her small hand to the seat, she said "..Sit, Mommy."

Suppressing her laugh, Regina did as she was told and slid into the seat beside Charlotte's stool. And only after her mother sat down, did Charlotte climb into her own seat to take note of what was going on above the counter.

Flatting the dough around the edges, Regina spoke up with an exhale that was needed to get her through the sentence. The gestures on her apron lessen as she takes a deep breath, placing a hand on the counter before giving her daughter a tight smile. "Charlotte, sweetheart...I want to-talk to you about something.

Charlotte scrunches her brows and smiles toothily, "Is it another pie, mommy?"

In response, she shakes her head gently, maintaining a reserved smile as her eyes welled beyond her control, "No, that's not it..."

The toddler lifts a curious gaze and points to her mother's stomach, her index finger drawing against the small curve as if it were a game. She smiled widely, eyes wide as she posed her question-"Is it about our baby?"

Pausing, a chuckle took over at the sentiment of 'our' and she quickly wiped at a tear that escaped and hoped that Charlotte wouldn't notice, catching the little hand that fell from her apron. With a gentle touch, her thumb swept against Charlotte's palm and coaxed the toddler to look at her mother. "Well...a little bit.."

With wide eyes, Charlotte remembered that David had told her it wouldn't be long before he'd be here and she would get to be a big sibling just like Henry. As Regina mustered the courage the stop stirring, to say what she needed to say, to tell her what she needed to know, Charlotte's eyes widened even the more as she jumped down from the stool, getting caught by her mother's grasp, "DADDY! DADDY THE BABY'S COMING!"

Her mother didn't know whether to laugh or scream, pulling the smaller brunette back to her before she could run away. "Sweetheart, the baby's not coming yet..."

"Oh..." She whispered, her head dipping a bit in disappointment.

She tilted her daughter's chin up with a light touch, coaxing her daughter to look up, "Charlotte...sweetie-"

There went the thunderous steps, announcing his presence before his voice hit the both of them. "Baby, what baby?" He skidded in on socked feet and heavy pants, eyes darting between his wife and daughter.

"False alarm..." Regina explained, sighing deeply as a hand passed over Charlotte's hair once more, "I thought I should tell Charlotte something...but I think we should wait..." She hoped that he caught her drift, dipping her gaze so that he understood.

He nodded sheepishly as Charlotte turned to look at her, eyes wide. "Tell me what, mommy?"

She shrugged, a finger wagging at the pie on the counter, "That perhaps, a couple turnovers would do us some good as well..."

Yup, that was it.

Turnovers.

X

She never waddles.

For her petite frame it was a blessing that even as she entered her third trimester her body could take the weight. Though, to be quite honest, she hadn't gained much more weight to take on. At a glance, she looked 19 weeks going on 20 rather than 27 going on 28. As such, she was able to save face and carry about her normal stature-one foot in front of the other.

However, after spending the day with Charlotte from dawn to dusk, the normality of one foot in front of the other becomes a cognitive practice she didn't have the capacity to maintain.

An unmistakable laugh left his lips as he stood by the staircase, watching as his wife attempted to be superwoman, going from the kitchen to the living room and back with bows, turnovers and the occasional crayon.

Turning on her heels, with a hand on her back she met his eyes sternly. Even so, David was already too far gone and tickled with humor that hadn't been present for the longest time. Though, his face softened with chuckles that finally subsided to allow the view of her to take his breath away. The silhouette of her shapely form against the backlight of the fireplace, her skin glowing despite the tired expression on her face and her eyes twinkling between frustration and amusement.

She was beautiful.

Having gone silent herself, watching as the Sheriff contained himself from chuckles to stares, the Mayor leaned back on her heels to a slow succession of the aches in her muscles. "David...What's so funny?" her eyebrows scrunched in amused confusion as he failed to answer her, eyes trained on her body rather than her eyes "...What-Did something... Is it my blouse?" she asks as she pulls at the end of the lapel, trying to find a loose or open button.

Crossing over the foyer in wide paces the Sheriff, that didn't quite know if he was still the Sheriff, stood in front of her and took her hands in his. Pressing a kiss to her knuckles, she could feel his smile against it and it warmed her from top to toe. "It's not your shirt. It's just-" mumbling something incoherently.

"It's just what, David?" she asked softly.

"Don't get angry at me." His hands flew up in defense of himself. "You—you waddled," biting his lower lip to stop from laughing again.

"I what?! I don't waddle, David," yelling at first but her next words dropped down to a whisper. Looking up into his blue eyes, a sheepish smile came across her features as recognition of him being right followed. "I might have...overdid it today."

"Overdid it? Regina, that is a terrible understatement." But he understood that all she wanted was to spend all the time she had with Charlotte. Rubbing the sides of her arms, he leaned in to kiss her forehead. "Let's get you to bed."

"Wait..." Her hands were short stopped to push at his chest, avoiding the tempting proposition of sleep before her. "We have to talk to Charlotte..." Her head shook before him, a tinge of embarrassment shining red in her cheeks, "I couldn't bring myself to do it..."

"Well..." His lips pressed to her temple until she lifted her head, allowing him to look into her eyes rather than passed them. "Then we'll do it together.."

At the reality of an impending conversation, she was struck still. What if she got upset again? What if the true love of mother and child didn't surpass the feeling of abandonment? What if, like Henry, she saw her mother as another disappointment that she wasn't expecting?

What if?

"Stop..." He hushed the thoughts in her mind, though they were never vocalized. The stress of her features was enough to tell him that the cogs were turning and the thoughts were mulling in her mind. She was exhausting every possibility, every scenario, everything that could, should and would happen. She was thinking about it, she was contemplating it-because pain was pain regardless of what angle it came from, but it was easier to pretend it hurt less when she wasn't blindsided by it.

"It'll be fine..." His arm fell to her waist, bringing her hip to his as he attempted to offer a comfort for her anxiety. There wasn't much he could say to alleviate her stress though, not knowing what could become of this talk, what emotions could arise from it. He could only hope for the best. "Where is she now?"

Rolling her shoulders slowly, she shook her head of any weighing thoughts and passed a fleeting hand in the direction of the stairs, "She's waiting on me in her room-I've been invited to attend tea time with the nobles of Mr. Bear's kingdom..." The small smile that passed her features was brief but there, letting him find comfort in her comfort-no matter how small it was.

Mimicking his wife's tone, the quasi Sheriff added, "Then alas we shall go dine in the Bear Kingdom, my Queen." She quirked an eyebrow as he flapped out his elbow, inviting her to link with his arm. Though doing so, a smirk tugged at her lips as he continued, "Now is this the Winter or Summer Palace?"

"Neither, my inept Prince." David's eyes widened before shooting her a glance as they went up the stairs, to which she smirked and added, "We are off to the Autumn Debouis.."

"M'lady, must you always one up me?"

"So long as I breathe, my Prince."

David mumbled beneath his breath, "...and some things never change..." but a quick scowl from his Queen was enough to subdue his playfulness into a smirk.

All in all, he was just trying to calm the moment-which he did. For a second, just a second, she hadn't even thought about what they were about to do. To be honest, she didn't even know what she was going to say and the closing distance between Charlotte's room and where she was surely wasn't helping matters.

With a light rap to her door, he played up their arrival with the life they once knew, noting that, "The King and Queen of the Gray Kingdom wish to make your acquaintance."

"The Gray kingdom?"

David shrugged noncommittally, mumbling as though his thunder had been taken. "You know...the white kingdom...the dark kingdom..."

Before her incredulous thoughts could surpass her mind, the door opened quickly with a short hand extending the way and a welcoming toothy smile. Stiffening at the welcome, she was reminded that, indeed, they were not there to dine with the Bear Kingdom, but to break their only child's heart and no fanfare would occur.

"I'm right here..." His whisper passed softly against her ear as his hand pressed into her back in an effort to coax her from the doorway. Greeting Charlotte with a tight smile, she stepped aside as David came in as well and look at the setup awaiting them.

Charlotte lifted her chin, passing a haughty glance at her father, "I wasn't expecting your pet, Mommy..."

"Pet?!" David near exclaimed before clearing his throat and taking a seat on one of the tiny chairs, "Pet?"

"It was in Henry's book..." Charlotte smiled, paying him no mind as she patted the bed for Regina to sit beside her as she scrambled across the sheets in search of her guest of honor. "Mr. Bear welcomes you..." She mumbled, sounding just like her father, as she strained to speak with her body hanging off the end of her bed in an attempt to get the bear she spoke of.

"Charlie-"

"Silence...peasant." Charlotte grumbled, much to David's chagrin. Expectantly, the snort that left his wife was palpable as Charlotte's scowl reached David's surprised eyes. "Mr. Bear is not very nice..." she returned to her normal voice, whispering in David's direction. Despite that explanation, the hairs still stood on his neck from the awfully familiar command.

Though funny for a moment, the Mayor blanched at the possibility that it wasn't just a joke, but a helpmate. Charlotte had forgiven her, she had broken the curse with her forgiveness but it had escaped her to think how. How exactly did a three year old surpass the confines of conditional love? A bear to place her thoughts to? A bear to feel vicariously through? If she couldn't handle her own mother being that way, perhaps she could survive it if it were her cherished bear instead.

For her mother, for the most important person in her life, she sacrificed her stuffed best friend, her favorite little ball of fur to love her mother unconditionally.

Sitting Mr. Bear in 2 chairs, purposely away from her father, she took one of the open chairs for herself and sat between her parents, one beside her and one above her. David looked up as Charlotte dropped a fake sugar cube in each of their white tea cups, noticing that his wife seemed just as pale.

"Regina-"

"Peasant..." Charlotte warned, nearly throwing his sugar cube at him rather than in the cup; duly noted that luck had it swish within the plastic confines. "Daddy, I wouldn't upset Mr. Bear if I were you..." She lifted a small golden colored bottle, shaped like a bear, "Honey?"

David nodded, though his hand reached out to touch her shoulder, hoping that this wouldn't 'upset' Mr. Bear. "Charlie horse, mommy and I need to talk to you..."

She sighed in response, dropping the honey bottle on the table, "And then tea time? Mr. Bear doesn't like to be kept waiting.."

"Of course-Then tea time...wouldn't want Mr. Bear to be upset.."

Charlotte nodded in response, brushing off her hands before climbing back onto her bed to sit against her pillows. David followed suit, getting on bended knee at her bed side as Regina turned slightly, lacking the gall to face the little girl completely.

"Charlie..." He led, looking to his wife for any sort of guidance but it was her that needed it. When she gave him her profile rather than a signal, he knew to continue, hoping that his penchant for word bombing didn't show up. "Mommy and I...have to go away for a while..."

Her casual expression beamed at the mention before she rocked excitedly, holding her feet as she sat with her legs crossed, "Ohh, where are we going?"

"No...Charlie.." He tried to put it as sensitively as he could, "Mommy.." his hand covered Regina's as he held her up, palm down on the sheets, "...and I...have to go away for a little bit. While we're gone, you get to hang out with Ruby and Gran..."

Her name died on his lips-he couldn't continue, seeing her little bottom lip quiver as the thought processed in her mind. Confusion laced her features as her brown eyes flickered between her parents. "Wh-Why can't I go?" When David gave her no sort of answer, his eyes only reading remorse, she turned to her mother, shaking her head as her hands hit the sheets in a tearful but mumbled plea, "I'll be good...I promise-Mommy, I'll be good."

Holding herself at bay, she took a hand to brush back the stray hairs from the toddler's face before thumbing her cheek with a loving gentleness, "I wish-We both wish..." her eyes flickered over to David's, "That we could take you with us, angel...but we can't..."

"Bu-bu..." She never heard the word no-or at least, when she did it was a rare occasion; a few tears usually went a long way. "...Sorry.." She mumbled, tears streaming down red cheeks, "sorry I threw sugar at you daddy...sorry I-I asked to see the puppies-I just-sorry Henry read me his book-sorry..."

It was at those words that she felt like falling apart, like she felt like pulling a lever and allowing the ground to swallow her into an abyss of darkness. As her eyes fell closed, it was as close as she could get-An abyss, an abyss was better than this, than watching her child blame herself for something that wasn't even close to being her fault. And words failed her, in that moment, words failed her with what to say.

Acting quicker than she could, David discarded his loafers and climbed onto the small bed with just his thick white socks, pulling his daughter into him as the tears wet her face. "It's not your fault Charlie horse...You didn't do anything wrong..."

"Don't leave me.." She whined into his dark shirt, pulling at the cottoned material as though he were to leave in that moment. "I'll be good.." With a hand on her temple, he held her head to his chest in an earnest attempt to calm her. His eyes met his wife's briefly, seeing the red within them as she tipped the 11 on a scale of okay to not okay.

"It's not your fault..." He repeated, smoothing her hair soothingly, "And we'll be back soon-You won't even realize we were gone.."

She didn't care. The fact was that they were leaving-that's it. She was sheltered, she didn't feel like she had anybody else. She didn't hang out with a lot of other kids, she likes being with her parents-how could she be okay without them? She was just a baby, feeling like the only two people in her world were leaving her and she didn't know why.

Why would they leave her?

"Charlotte sweetie..." She took a shaky hand to pass over the toddler's straight locks, hoping to offer a warming notion, but the miniature version of herself only sunk further in David's hold and the warmth within his arms. "None of this is your fault," exhaling shakily, "...it's Mommy's...and I'm sorry..."

"Bu-but why can't I g-go.." She hiccupped between tears, looking to David as he dipped his neck to look at her. His eyes left hers and moved to his wife's, whose own eyes could only give remorse, not answers. Without an answer, the young girl, merely a baby in life, could only regenerate a new surge of tears as she pawed for comfort at her father's behest.

Her mother, however, simply couldn't take it. She just couldn't-gently easing herself from the bed to place a chaste kiss to her daughter's forehead, hot with emotion. With a shared look, David was understanding in her having to take a moment, puling Charlotte closer as slow footsteps led his wife from the bedroom that was seemingly suffocating her.

With the door closed behind her, she felt herself leaning against the frame, taking inhales and exhales that didn't feel like breathing because her chest still weighed and breath didn't feel like breath-everything was hollow, she was hollow and feelings were the only thing with weight. She was just a hollow form leaning against a frame with guilt weighing her down from top to toe.

She could have.

She would have.

She should have.

She didn't.

And there was nothing that she could do about it.

The doorbell rang and she cursed whoever was behind it. Now was not the time, now was not the moment. Not when she couldn't breathe-not when her daughter thought that everything wrong in the world was her fault when really, it was Mommy's. That's all she wanted really-Let mommy take the blame, let her take the hurt, let her take the pain.

Let her endure it on her own so her child, seemingly brand new to the world, wouldn't have to.

With solid determination, she pushed herself from the wood and in steady strides, headed towards the stairs. People wanted to bother her. Fine. People wanted to punish her. Fine. People wanted her to suffer. Fine. But approach her individually; don't come to her house, not where her family lives, where her children are supposed to feel safe. They had nothing to do with the anger thousands felt or the curse, 3 decades in the process-it was all her.

Let her take the pain.

With hurried footsteps, she simply forgot that her eyes were bloodshot, weary and glossed with tears that she promised not to cry. She simply forgot that whoever it was, whoever it could be, would be seeing her at her worst, at her weakest. Love is weakness, and if they wanted to attack her for it, fine-FINE.

Let her take the pain.

"WHAT?!" She opened the door with a venomous scowl that would send any man jumping back a couple feet. There stood the Evil Queen, near tears over her own child and on her porch, stood Snow White. Unremorseful and damn near shocked.

Mary Margaret blinked back at the woman's disposition, trying to contain the surprise within her features, "We need to talk, Regina..."

The hand that held the doorframe beside her shook with the fervor to hold still, to not act violently in an action she would come to regret. She trembled with the emotions within her, fighting to stay still, fighting to not react, fighting to remain the cold stoicism that had once been her nature, that had once been all she knew.

But she couldn't.

"Mother Superior is under the impression that...your daughter...had something to do with the curse breaking. Since it was broken after Emma left, I spoke to Rumpelstiltskin and he said that you would know what I wanted to know..."

The shaking hand that held the doorframe, pressed into the wooden indents, feeling a burn as the warm wood pushed against the heat of her palm, speaking volumes to her control, or lack thereof. "Whatever I do or do not know, I most certainly won't be inclined to tell you. And whatever misguided notions you retrieved from a demon that spins gold, I'd suggest a fact check."

"Regina, the people of Storybrooke deserve to know if there is a threat-"

"A threat...A THREAT? You just left the pawn shop of an immortal imp that kills for sport and you sought out my toddler looking for a threat?" Her hand left the doorframe, stepping into the space of the pixie haired princess, "I am going to tell you once and only once, and if you don't get it the first time-you'd better pray to whatever God is listening that your cursed memory is better than your first one."

With a flippant hand directed towards her home, she spoke and gave Snow no time to retort, "Whatever happens in my house, is my business-The fact of the matter is that the curse is broken and you are free to return to the pretentious, sniveling hypocrite that's been in hibernation for 3 decades. That, however, does not give you the right to demand anything from me concerning my children or my family-Henry, Charlotte...AND David, they're my business."

She tapped a hand to her chest, taking a step further as Snow took a step back in an attempt to eliminate proximity. "And if you ever decide to forget that we had this little conversation and decide to cross my child-in or out of my presence, I will end you.." Her head shook with a juvenile smile and tapered eyes, a clear tear running down her cheek without any recognition. "Not only will I end you, but you will be begging for death before the real fun even begins."

The former monarch took a step back, reaching for something to hold onto, to ground her, to keep her from tripping into a magnetic abyss; a darkness she could nearly taste. "Come near my child. Touch a hair on her head-" She smirked flippantly with a tease of, "I dare you.." before finishing. "-But you won't live to see yours again.."

And with that, she took a step back and slammed the door, allowing the walls to rattle in response and the pictures to clamor. Everything shook but her-the tremors had stopped but the anger remained, the simmering remained, and the tears left her-some that slipped without her noticing, and others that pained her all the way through.

All she wanted was to take the pain-only if it meant that those she cared about didn't have to.

Once more, the doorbell rang and she could only guess that a frightened ex-school teacher sent one of her dwarves to do her bidding while she patched up her wounded ego. Not having time for that, the Mayor took a much needed breath and brushed away the stray tears that littered her cheeks and dampened the front of her shirt-but she didn't care. She was as raw as she could be and didn't care if anyone saw it.

"What?!" the word left her before she could even opened the door to see that it wasn't dwarves, but werewolves that stood on her porch, eyes wide and watchful.

With the obvious rise and fall of her chest, she looked between the waitress-gone-deputy and the diner owner before dipping her gaze. Her weakness was showing, her love was showing-the toll of the pain was showing and they were seeing everything.

"I could...smell..." She started, not yet used to her retained senses, "...Mary Margaret-We both could, so we hid until she left." And they probably heard everything, their faces telling more than their voices did. "Are you okay?"

The former Queen, the former monarch, the former Mayor, the brunette standing in front of her that just wanted to be Regina, that just wanted to live and die as herself rather than a figment of a child's imagination or a monster under the bed, she didn't have an answer.

She didn't know it.

She was still breathing, but it didn't feel like it.

She could stand but she felt like she was falling.

She was Regina but felt the titles creeping around her neck like a noose waiting to hang her.

She didn't know the answer but when the former waitress, slow in her steps, approached her-when the tears slipped down her face as she felt a pair of lanky arms wrap around her-when human contact felt like a lifeline in a drowning surface-she knew the answer.

Taking the pain entitled her to not be okay.


	25. Quest

Panic. It isn't just a feeling, it's a state of mind. It courses through your veins and infiltrates your thoughts. It paralyzes you, if only for a moment, making it all though all of your limbs are frozen and all actions futile. For seconds, a minute, maybe more, all hell breaks loose in your mind and the last thing, the last thing you ever wanted to happen becomes a possible scenario. Worst case situations play out in your thoughts and you're frozen. You can't move-You can't speak-

You panic.

Panic pulls him from the bed of his daughter, wishing to continue comforting her, yet knowing that panic had now set in. The doorbell had rung-not once, but twice. The first time, he told himself it was fluke and that he needn't worry. Though the last time someone came to his door it was an angry dwarf, the time before-a medieval doctor with anger issues. He wanted to get up, truly he did, but he couldn't-not with Charlotte's tears staining his shirt and strangling her voice. But she was calming, she was crying herself to sleep, as horrible as it was, and when he began to pull away, she wasn't fighting him.

So he was free to panic.

To run in Henry's room and find the closest thing he could find to a weapon: a flimsy toy sword. Perhaps it'd scare off anyone who didn't know any better, that feared the smallest of things, but charging down the stairs with a plastic sword only to find his wife, his best friend, and her grandmother, felt quite foolish.

She pulled away from the wolf's embrace and found herself staring at this man that she married, that she made vows to, holding onto a sword she had bought her son to entertain his royal fantasies. His eyes were wide, his shoulders were broad and his chest was puffed out-as if the plastic in his hands could materialize real metal at any moment.

Perhaps Henry's imagination rested in his belongings as well.

A short laugh left her-brief and barely noticeable, but enough to shed one tear that had been suppressed. A quick finger swept below her eye as though it never happened, a hand she recognized as Ruby's still on her back as a sense of comfort. To be honest, she didn't know how her and the wolf had gotten close-She didn't even know if they were close. If Ruby talked, Regina listened. If Regina talked, Ruby listened. And now, apparently, if Regina needed it, Ruby hugged her.

Was that...friendship?

"Is everything okay?" He questioned, looking around the foyer as if something would jump out at them at any moment, looking to torment or terrify.

"And if it wasn't-what were you gonna do about it, Lancelot?" Ruby teased, breaking the tension into bits and pieces as David's iron-tight grip on the play sword grew weak and he set it down against the stairwell-still feeling rather foolish.

"He was a good guy..." He mumbled, pulling at his shirt as his eyes met brown ones and he found himself surveying her emotions-though expressive, hard to read and decipher.

She wasn't going to tell him that she was at the edge of an abyss. She wasn't going to tell him that had Ruby not been there-had she not been stopped, the possibilities of her mind weren't pleasant. If she told him, he wouldn't know how to deal with it, how to deal with her. He would want to go back to their usual fail safe-he'd want to touch her and she didn't want to be touched, she didn't want to be comforted. Yes, Ruby's hand remained on her back but it felt-it still felt odd.

When she got like that, eyes dark and anger boiling, no one-no one touches her, no one used to touch her way back when, they feared her, they thought she'd kill them. And since the curse had broken, she hadn't been that person-the Queen with a penchant for murder, ruin and destruction. Even before that, she'd been behaving under the cursed life with exception of Graham-an anomaly as she'd call it. She hadn't had to reach that dark place, because she hasn't had a reason too.

But now, after that encounter with the Princess of hypocrisy and cardigans came to her door-it just..it just seemed to wash over her. It crept up on her, like a cold hand on her shoulder easing her towards an abyss with a whisper of, _"The water's warm..."_ when she knows it's warm alright, it's boiling...and it's waiting for her. Because once the darkness had gotten a taste of her, it had no attention of stopping there.

And since there's no magic here, reaching such a plateau darkness is like trying to breathe at the top of a mountain with no aid. That type of darkness needs magic, it's brought about by magic-without it, the rage is just raw and the darkness can eat that which it resides in, alive, because there's no magic to curve it or soften it. The evil-the unprecedented malevolence is literally hot off the presses and it's air claws at your lungs rather than entering them.

It's like a state of panic.

"Regina-" Like pools of ink, her pupils swirled black before him. Gone were the expressive hazels that soften at his touch and raged at his idiocy. "Is there...is there magic here?"

She stepped back from him, eliminating the touch of her canine counterpart and facing the three pairs of eyes that looked at her own, "Why would you ask me that?"

He gestured towards her eyes and she turned to the circular mirror beside her, one she had broken time and time again only to have the glass replaced the next day.

Panic.

That's what set in, seeing her eyes-midnight black and stained red from suppressed tears-panic.

" _Smooth_ ," Ruby mumbled, rolling her eyes at David's blunt question, hoping that this wouldn't turn out to be bigger than it was, or really, than it should be.

"Regin-" Deaf ears-that's what she had, flinching at his touch as she turned her gaze to the floor rather than her, once omnipresent, reflection. She had nothing to say, just thoughts swirling her mind, encompassing her thoughts and sinking her deeper into herself. Was she really that bad? So bad that a land without magic could still be penetrated by the evil that once resided within her?

And now three pairs of eyes looked at her-Were they waiting for her to react, to lash out? Were they waiting for her to melt into a puddle of herself-What, what exactly did they expect to happen if all they did was stare at her, watch her every move even if it was non-existent, and just stare at her

While she panicked.

She was panicking because she had gone too far-because she had been pushed too far. Because a pixie haired princess showed up at her door and pushed her over the edge-the edge that she had been tipping with for days-weeks-months even. And now it was like a hollowed silence, you can't hear anything but you know that something is happening. She's falling-

She's panicking.

And there's just silence in the background, eyes watching and thoughts bungling around minds without a thought as to what should be done.

She can see that he's trying not to react, to remain neural during a time when neutrality was anything but primal. Shifting his stance and taking a daring step in her direction, she takes one back and turns her head from him, chest heaving in a futile attempt to remain calm. Her back turns to him and she leaves them standing in the foyer, wondering what had happened and why it had transpired.

He was confused-puzzled at best, and turned to them for answers with a curious glare, "What happened?" When the answer didn't seem to just trip off of their tongue, he was caught between being worried and getting frustrated.

His wife-yes, the times of him saying that she wasn't had long been reneged-his wife was definitely on the left side of okay and straying further and further with the passing seconds. The wolves were silent with their answer, exchanging glances but never verbalizing their words-perhaps they thought that it was better coming from the source herself.

Measured steps took him to a tense kitchen with Regina at the counter, her head in her hands as her elbows leaned against the marble. His footsteps could be heard behind her and in response she had one request; "Don't...don't look at me..." He places a hesitant hand on her shoulder, the other remaining on her back in an attempt at a comfort that fails. "Regina-"

Unsteady eyes revealed themselves but shelled away from his gaze, turning her head as she placed an trembling hand on the island, for support, for a stronghold. She needed something that would be still despite all, even when she herself shook with a fervor she didn't recognize. When her fingers trembled on their own accord and all was hazy, all was wrong. This, this darkness- She had long since divorced this darkness-it was trespassing really, trespassing in her body, in her heart, it wanted to take over something that had long since vetoed it's power. She fought it, so she trembled. She was losing that fight, so she trembled.

She panicked.

"What happened?" Her response was an undecipherable shake of the head that gave him no explanation. It gave him nothing to go on, nothing to glean and nothing to gain-silence. Silence lingered, save for the clack of her wedding bands against the counter at her attempts to remove herself from where she sat. The mere roll of her ankle faltered her descent as she stepped down, catching herself from the island. "Regina..." He called but she was hearing nothing. Nothing but white noise. Deaf ears trailed in front of him as she soldiered from him and passed the lingering werewolves, nosily following the drama from foyer to kitchen and back.

-He could have stopped her, but thought it best to have any conversation without an audience and Ruby's eyes warning him not to do anything stupid. Once out of earshot and in front of the staircase, leaving Granny and Ruby back in the kitchen with a switch of positions, he tried to take hold of her arm and she tugged back with a turn, "I-I can't, David-" She thinks that he wants to fight, that he's upset-she didn't call him when the doorbell rang, she might have said something incriminating to Mary Margaret. But no, when he pulls her arms, he just wants to pull her to him. He wants to hold her-Let him take the worry. He's asking now..for a turn; just let him do it this once. Let him panic-let him worry. If only for a moment, so she won't have to.

X

Every ten minutes. She counts, well Ruby does. He disappears every ten minutes, making up some type of excuse even though he doesn't really have to. She knows where he's going-where the heavy footsteps that ascend the steps will carry him. Each time, he checks on Charlotte and closes the door in front of him. Then he goes to the master and closes the door behind himself, coming out five minutes later with a blank expression.

She knows he's trying to be a good host, even attempting to put the pre-made roast in the oven, but when he has to ask which knob did what job Granny took over. At this point, all he does is come back downstairs and stare ahead at the walls, looking more like his wife then himself. Meddling with his thoughts rather than meandering in the present.

However-this time, this time when the ten minute cycle comes about and he claims to be going to check on his 'pager' he's gone for more than five minutes.

Taking light steps with the caution that Charlotte might be asleep, he peeked his head in to see that she's merely cuddling Mr. Bear under her arm but eyes remain open and facing the door.

"Charlie..."

She turns her back around and curls into herself, away from the light of the door and the concern etched into his features. "Don't wanna talk, daddy..."

"Love you..." He whispered, though is still given the cold shoulder. Rather than dwell, he closed door slowly and took a breath to prepare him for his next stop.

His eyes had to adjust to the sudden darkness when entering their room; dimly lit by just the bedside lamp and the barely open curtains-translucent enough to give way to the waning sun. He hadn't any trouble maneuvering his way around, though, tipping towards her beside.

Her eyes were closed, an arm crossing her chest while the other lay rested on her stomach. "Hey..." He couldn't really say much else, obviously being able to tell that _okay_ was not even a question of her state right now. Something was wrong, he knew it but he could only guess as to what and that alone scared him. Tripping over his feet, he realized that the blunt objects that were causing him trouble were her poorly discarded heels, given no care to how they were taken off.

"I'm gonna...I'm gonna send them home, tell 'em to come back tomorrow..." His voice was soft, sympathizing with whatever she might be feeling, whatever was eating away at her-she'd know that he was there to ease the burden. Even if he had no way of doing so. "And then I'm gonna start packing..."

She nodded silently, eyes never opening and body never moving from her position. She was ready to go. Not to leave Charlotte and certainly not to face what would come with leaving, but just to remove herself from this place-this, this hell. It sucked everything from her, energy, happiness-the will to open her eyes and welcome the day. Every day spent in this god-forsaken town of her own making was another day she considered life without it.

Panicking wasn't even the half of it.

He followed through with his promise-sending a begrudging Granny and curious Ruby on their way, Ruby having to accept the invitation back on behalf of both of them. Tucking in a toddler that didn't want to look at him and locking up the house was a task in itself but then the real fun began.

How many shirts?

Did she want slacks or leggings?

Both?

Dress Shirts? Cardigans? Cashmere Sweaters?

Tunics?

Which onesies-Wait, there aren't enough onesies?

Car seat? No car seat...

Grey robe or blue robe?

Did she want pajamas or a nightie?

Did she want her own hospital gown?

But of course, she's asleep and can't answer these questions, having taken a warm bath and changed, passing out shortly after he left her to let Granny and Ruby and out. He stays up for hours, nearly running holes in the floor as he traveled back and forth from closet to dresser and back. Even his head hurt, having to make decisions that seemed trivial but-he knew his wife. Let her get to Boston and look in her suitcase to find that he packed the wrong shirts or the wrong onesies or god-forbid the wrong robe and...Heads. Will. Roll.

So unbelievably tuckered out from the day's events, taking both a physical and mental toll on him; he doesn't even bother to change. He'd probably get a word or two from Regina but he was just so tired, too tired to take off his t-shirt. Just removing his trousers David lay splayed on his stomach in only his boxers and a t-shirt and as soon as his head met the pillow he was fast asleep.

In the middle of the night, awoken by a slight pinch in her back, Regina stirred awake and shifted her body to find some comfort. Upon doing so, she's met with the sleeping figure that is her knight in worn-out flannel. She reached out to touch his face, tracing the worry lines. It is when her fingers meet his chin does she realize something peeking out from under him. Nudging his shoulders gently, she pulled the cloth-like thing, soft against the pads of her fingers. In her hand was a footie. Tucked in the breast pocket of his t-shirt was one of a pair of blue footies.

She sets it aside on the end table next to her before moving gently towards the man she had grown proud to call her husband. It only took a slight touch to his forearm and, as if by reflex, his arm curled over her waist and cuddled closer to her. He didn't feel the touch of her lips on his forehead but he felt the warmth of it to the tips of his toes.

That morning they're sleeping.

At least they're supposed to be sleeping-really, he's just exhausted and finding himself watch her sleep, grateful that she hasn't succumb to the same insomnia that seems to be keeping him up. He figures that it was the warm bath that did her in, eyeing the clip that held her hair, still clenched at the back of her head. Part of him thought to take it out but she looked so peaceful, and to be honest, so cute, that he couldn't bring himself to.

She was sound asleep, a hand under her cheek while her other arm wrapped around her middle, that hand being tucked under her side. Incidentally, her unusual position rode up her sleeping top so that the bottom of her stomach was left bare against the sheets and she was none the wiser; eyes closed fitfully as the blankets gathered at her waist. She'd rustle every now and then, pressing a hand to the spots that bothered her but never fully waking-thankfully.

It was about 8, he thought to himself. Nearing her with as much grace he could muster for a sheriff, he pressed a kiss to the bridge of her nose, narrowly missing her temple in a sleepy attempt at being romantic.

Figures.

Pushing his body from the bed with a much needed effort, he rubbed at his eyes, and dragged his feet against the floor, yawning quietly as he roamed in his t-shirt and boxers, stepping over his discarded clothes that he made a mental note to pick up. Stepping into the closet that was ninety nine percent hers and one percent his, he rubbed at his eyes once more before casting a fleeting glance at the suitcases behind the door. Everything was a bit barer now, clothes having been folded and packed but there were still some things hanging.

Ideally, he could only guess that she was going to wear boots, so he found himself bending down to pick up some black leather boots that fell right below the knee. Idly flipping through her tops to decide that she had too many cashmere sweaters, he found a long cable knit sweater, cream in color but soft and stretchable. It could pass for a tunic so he wouldn't be in trouble for that, taking the hanger and swinging it over his arm.

He snorted quietly. His wife hung up leggings-ironed them and hung them up like they were slacks or dress pants. Pulling them down, he swung those on top of her sweater and grabbed a butterfly cut cardigan that hung long and was thick enough to keep her warm. Oddly enough when he made it to his one percent of the room, he grabbed a pair of jeans and the only shirt that seemed to be on it's last leg when it came to hanging on the hanger. He could go in boxers-he didn't care about himself.

As long as she was okay.

Dragging his feet across the floor, he dropped his clothes on the chaise and laid hers across the bottom, making sure they didn't wrinkle before crawling back into bed, nestling against a soft pillow that still smelled of apples in the spring.

Before it started.

"Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.." His cursed whispers were barely heard above the blaring alarm clock as he fiddled with the snooze button to find the off switch.

Sending a glance to the other side of the bed, brown eyes that no longer pooled black were slowly opening with a scowl that was no doubt due to being awoken prematurely. Stretching gingerly, she recoiled at the feel of muscles near screaming in protest at the feel of work after hours of restless stagnation. With a grown, she pressed a palm to her stomach, feeling bare skin beneath her touch.

Sleepily, she pulled at the hem of her pajama top, eyes fluttering closed as she nestled back against their pillows. The blaring had stopped and he was trying to be as discreet as possible, hoping that she went back to sleep until he felt the cool metal of her rings against his cheek, lazily grazing his skin.

"Morning.."

"Morning.."

His eyes lazily trailed over hers, falling in and out of that hazy cloud of sleep with the feel of her rings on his skin. Silence passed and he didn't even realize he was staring until the sleep wore from her state and she covered her mouth from a yawn, stringing her brows together. "Is it my eyes..." Though still reeling from slumber, the hesitant fear was clear in her voice and he was quick to reassure her that a repeat of the night before was not occurring.

Brushing a short strand from her forehead, he took to thumbing her cheek with an adoring smile, toothy and sloppy from lack of sleep. But still sweet. "You're just adorable..."

She smirked, fiddling her toes beneath the covers as she reared her back against her pillow, "I'm not coherent enough to argue with that..." Minimizing her movement, she found herself not wanting to leave the bed or warmth for that matter, skimming a hand over her middle as her eyes fell closed once more.

Content that she was going back to sleep and they would have another hour, he smiled to himself and buried his face into his pillow, ready for slumber before having to get on the road. "David..."

"Hmmpmm." He groaned into the plush of his pillow.

"Did you call the hospital?"

"No..." He yawned once more, "Ruby said she'd do it and call me after..."

"Did Ruby call you..."

"No..."

"David..."

"I know..." He whined, passing the end table for his phone until it reached his fingers, pressing the phone to ear lazily, letting it hang for the occasional slip. "Ruby?"

"David," his wife whined in protest, as his voice crept into her space even though she was the one that requested he call in the first place.

"Ruby did you do it?...What kind of questions?...How am I supposed to find that out?"

"UGH..." Regina groaned dramatically, pushing the side of her face further into her pillow. "Davi-David, what are you-"" The whines and protests were paused when his cool hand met the skin that continued to bare itself beneath her pajama top. "Your hands are cold..." She mumbled, having no more to say or complain about with the feel of his hand on the bottom of her stomach.

"Yeah, she ummm..." he tried to find his words without getting lost in her stare, without getting lost in how cute she was or the beauty of her eyes in the wee hours of the morning. "She is...No...No...I just know-I don't have to ask her-Rub-Ruby-I don't have to-I don't-We'll be leaving around twel-" his brows rose is Regina shook her head so that he could alter his statement, "one...one-so we should be there by five, no later than six. Alright...thanks-I appr-really Ruby? Fine, fine-thank you..."

Closing his flip phone, his hand remained pressed against her skin, cold palms now warm with her touch. "Everything okay?"

"It's fine..." He shrugged, leaning closer to peck her lips before she reared back, centimeters from his lips. "What?" His eyes followed hers, brows stilling in concern.

She bit her bottom lip with a breath before returning his gesture and giving him the kiss he was silently asking for before pulling away. "Nothing.."

He gave her another peck on the lips before, thumbing at her cheeks once more,

"Everything's gonna be okay..." one more peck. "I promise..."

And she could do nothing but accept it-but trust him. "Okay.."

X

He was currently bustling around, trying to get everything together for their trip. Nothing imperative could be left behind, nothing that they would need.

That meant endless time of them packing-or really him packing and also packing vicariously for her. He was silently thanking the heavens for having done the majority of it the night before and actually listening and not tuning her out, so that he knew what to do-what clothes to pack. It meant unearthing Henry's baby clothes and sending Ruby out with a list for new onesies, burping cloths, pacifiers, everything they hadn't been done-which was everything. They had never went shopping, they were to busy fighting and healing-neither having given a thought to shopping for sorely needed items in preparation for baby x's arrival.

Well, after all-it was still early.

Nonetheless, he had just finished taking the last of their things downstairs and out to the car-of course there were still a couple hours left until they were scheduled to pull out but preparation was always necessary in case of a much needed escape. You can take fairytale characters out of the forest but ya can't take the forest out of the fairytale characters-

Ya never know when Storybrooke might go rogue.

Going up the stairs, he found that she was just coming out of their room-fresh and ready in clothes that he had picked out himself. With a silent pat on the back and a cheeky smile, he watched as she took a deep breath at her door before taking a couple paces towards Charlotte's. With a breath-and another breath-and another breath, her hand reached for the door knob but she pulled back, letting both of her hands hold to the cable knitted curve of her middle, another deep breath being taken before he stepped up.

"Everything okay?" She jumped turning with raised brows and wide

eyes. "Sorry..." He spoke up sheepishly, taking wide paces towards her with a small smile. "Sorry..." He repeated, holding to her bent elbows as he kissed her forehead. "But are you okay?"

Her finger flitted in the direction of Charlotte's door before it fell back in line with the rest of her fingers-holding to the sides of her middle.

When a nervous chuckle escaped her, he placed another chaste kiss to her

temple as she relished in the feel of his hands slowly covering hers.

His thumbs rubbed against the material of her sweater, brushing against the slender fingers beneath his. "You're not..." His features scrunched momentarily as he searched for his words.

"Big?" She filled in, slipping her hands from beneath his to tuck her hair behind her ears.

"Well _you_ said it _not_ me..." He teased before his hands moved to caress the curve he hadn't given much attention to-once again, there was a lot going on and rarely did he have the time or the chance. "Have you been having contractions?" Her brow rose as her hand moved to cover his that had stopped at her side, "The hospital wanted to know and I didn't know what to tell them because-well, you don't talk to me about it..."

Immediately, she shrunk into herself a bit at his words. He wasn't accusing her but it was true-She didn't like to talk about it, especially now. Perhaps she was more open with Charlotte, when there was no curse, no past, no history-it was easier.

That wasn't his intention though-he just wanted her to know the types of questions that they were asking. Softening whatever kind of blow it might have been, he reached for that pesky strand that would behave and tucked it behind her ear as she had, moments ago. "Yesterday, I had two..." She admitted slowly, adverting his eyes. "This morning, however, I've had two-three..."

He nodded silently, feeling the tightening of her abdomen against his hand.

"Does it hurt?" Was the only small question he could muster, noting that her hands instinctively held certain places.

"Don't worry about me..." She mumbled, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Don't tell me not to do my job..." His hand curled to wrap around the hand beneath his palm before taking a step forward. "C'mere...Turn around..." He positioned her in front of the door she hadn't been allowed to go in before turning her around so that her back was to it. His hand unlatched the lock and she pivoted her head back, "Stop it.." He scolded playfully before covering her eyes with both his hands, "Walk backwards..."

"David-"

"Don't worry, I'm right here..." She took measured steps in the opposite direction, hinting at a smile as his hands, callous but warm, covered her eyes. "Ready?"

"I was ready when you started locking this do-" Her words fell dead on his ears and on her tongue because he lifted his hands. He lifted his hands and for seconds she couldn't breathe.

Every tangible piece of him, every tangible piece of her-she was looking at it. From the blue pastel to the dark wood finishing. Henry's beat up rabbit he used to drag around as a child, cleaned and stitched sitting upright on the changing table. The dark rocking horse that looked oddly similar to the stallion on her mantel in the office. The carefully stenciled name beside his crib.

N

O

A

H

She felt a pair of arms wrap around her from behind and his chin sit on her shoulder as he placed a tender kiss on her jaw, "I thought...that Noah Ryan was perfect..." His hands moved up and down her middle, "A little bit of me and a little bit of you..."

He expected a hug and a kiss but the sharp inhale on her part had him holding tighter to him as he lifted his head, "Regina..." He reared his head back a tad so that he could see her. Her hands covered his as they interlocked at her stomach but her red-rimmed eyes and the bite of her bottom lip had him worried.

"It's alright..." He soothed, pressing a kiss to her hair before nuzzling his face in the crook of her neck as he held her close.

It wasn't that he did this all by himself, which he did.

It wasn't that he took it upon himself to name their son, which he did.

It wasn't that he didn't consult her, which he did.

It wasn't that her heart was melting at the sight, which it was.

It was fear.

Fear that she would vocalize-Fear that all of this, all of this might be for nothing. Fear that she would come back empty handed and to a cruel reminder of what could have been, what should have been. No, she would never say that she was terrified-She would never admit that the thought ear paralyzed her with fear. She would never say it.

But with him she didn't have to.

He'd just rub the swell of her stomach until the tears that ran down her face stopped-till the fear subsided. He'd line her jaw with pecks from his lips until her breath resumed...He'd do it all.

With a jagged inhale, her hand left his and reached to cover the side of his face, keeping him close to her as he hugged her from behind, "I'm sorry.." she apologized, feeling like she might have ruined his surprised-it was perfect and she couldn't hold her tears in for thirty seconds.

"Shhhh..." He seemed to be soothing their son as much as he was soothing her, both of them quieting at his voice.

"I-" As the words fell on tongue, the sobs caught in her throat once more,

"I love you..."

He nodded, kissing her collarbone, "I will always love you..." He held her close-she wasn't getting away from him. "I mean that...I believe that everything will be fine-And if it's not..." This time, it was he that had the jagged breath, "I will be right here..." Pressed into her back, holding her close and never letting go.

Never.

X

Pacing was a habit he'd picked up from watching his wife deliberate something. She'd start at the top of the foyer and walk back, turn around and do it again. Then she'd go from her office to the door, turn around and go back. She'd walk around until the whole front way had a footstep that accounted for her presence and he was close to beating her record, having been wracked with thoughts of what to do and what needed to be done.

The clock was ticking and he had already made sure that both of his girls had eaten and one was lying down while the other kept to herself within the confines of her room. She obviously hadn't gotten over their talk from the night before but he didn't blame her. She was a child trying to make sense of her parents absence and the idea that it was in no way her fault.

And they'd be back. Soon? They didn't know-but they sure as hell would be back without question.

The lock on the front door began to turn and his ears pricked at the sound, knowing that he had given Ruby a key to avoid having her ring the doorbell on account of the recent visitors they'd had to ring their doorbell and the less than pleasant messages carried along with them. Once the door open, he stepped forward to release her of the muti-colored shopping bags in her hands as she grinned wildly.

"I never thought shopping for tiny people would be so much fun-and so much work, David, you still owe me diamonds..."

He mumbled, "..not on your life..." as Granny closed the door behind her granddaughter, taking a look around the house she had spent a small amount of time in, the night before. Now, in the day light, the place looked even bigger than it had before.

"C'mon..." His head tilted in the direction of the stairs as he held the bags tightly in his grip and advanced up them, seeing brunette and red hair follow behind him. Pausing, he turned to see that the older diner owner stood rooted in her spot, looking around the foyer. "Granny, y'coming?"

"I'm fine here, James..." She pushed forward the hands in her pocket and eyed him down, her glasses being nothing but an accessory as she looked over them and straight at the former Prince.

Pressing two fingers in his back, Ruby urged David onward despite the staring contest of confusion he seemed to be having with her grandmother. Begrudgingly, he continued on and up the stairs, only turning around when they met the upstairs hallway. "What was that about?" He questioned, dropping the bags in front of the door he'd been behind a couple hours before.

"Newsflash, David: She doesn't like you..." Ruby announced with a deadpan, stopping him in his tracks.

"What? That's crazy, she used-"

"You knowingly cheated on and left Snow for the woman that tried to kill us all and cursed us into another dimension-" She laid out his sins before him and shrugged with a knowing stare. "Granny's not gonna like you for a long time..."

The Sheriff shifted, rubbing at his neck as he met the eyes of his former best friend-hoping to be current, "And what about you?"

The werewolf's head lolled from side to side as she thought, arms crossing her chest before announcing that, "...you irk me..."

"Alright..." David spoke and crossed his own arms over his chest, "What about Regina?"

She shrugged, "Can't stay mad at a pregnant lady for very long..."

"Oh C'mon!" Not that he wanted them to be upset with his wife but their history-his and their history was much more twisted and intertwined and yet they let Regina slide without so much as a glare. Well maybe Granny did glare at her, but nonetheless, it did hurt his feelings. As his mind thought about it, he contemplated it's similarity to Regina and Henry-He was so easily taken to Emma and her mistakes and easily angered by Regina's, perhaps because Regina had raised him and he had placed more trust, more faith with in her.

For lack of a better euphemism, a larger investment was lost.

"And well...Regina and I..." The deputy in training kicked her foot at the carpet and found solace in looking everywhere but his eyes, "...we're friends, okay?"

David rolled his eyes only to earn a hit to the shoulder when he turned his back, "Son of a-How am I supposed to carry my wife around with a bum shoulder?"

"No one asked you to carry me around..." The pair turned at the voice, seeing brown eyes laced with confusion at their little banter, amusing yet with a line of truth in the words and actions exchanged between them.

"Yeah..." Ruby chimed, backing away from David and into the space of his better half, "No one asked ya!" She turned and wrapped two lanky arms around the Mayor or former Mayor-who knows?

Her response however was rigid at first, arms still up as she was caught in this unexpected embrace, but with time, seconds really, she hugged the younger girl back and whispered a soft "...thank you.." in her ear before letting go with hazy eyes that she attempted to blink clear.

The wolf knew what she was being thanked for and needed no further clarification, turning her head as David spoke up, "I was just about to show Ruby the nursery and go through the clothes she picked up for baby x-"

"Baby X?" Ruby's eyes darted between the pair before her hands flew up, "You two are crazy..."

"Actually, Ruby...I think we've decided on a name..." Her eyes traveled to meet her husband's, his own movements being paused at her words.

"R-Really? You're not upset that I didn't talk to you about it?"

"Well, if I were you I wouldn't do it again. Next time, I might be so inclined to kill you-but for now, no..." She shook her head with a small smile spreading across her features, "I'm not upset..."

"Next time?" Rub chimed in once more, "..how large is this litter gonna get?"

"I think you have your canines mixed up, Miss Lucas..." the older brunette quipped, much to the younger one's chagrin as the Sheriff chuckled and opened the door to the nursery, dragging the load of bags inside.

"Noah..." Ruby breathed in a hushed whisper, eyes drawn to the wooden letters that were accented against the wall. Within her thoughts, she wondered if Regina had cried upon seeing, what she guessed was, _the_ surprise, because she was already feeling the sting behind her eyes.

Leaving the wolf to wander around the space, he abandoned the bags by the plush rocking chair in the corner, struck by the sight of Regina in the doorway with two hands where they'd been since she awoke that morning. "Hey..." Her eyes met his, her attention having been caught by his tone and words. "Did you get some sleep?"

With a sigh, she admitted "no," with a small voice that told him that she wished that she had. "I couldn't sleep..." her eyes fell to where her hands held close to her middle "...Noah and I have yet to sync our schedules..."

He hummed a kiss against her temple, hoping to keep her as calm as possible for as long as possible-at least until they were at their destination. "I like the way it sounds..." He mumbled, feeling her lean into him in response.

"As do I..."

"Can't you just say 'me too'" He teased, wrapping an arm around her back, as the other secured her middle. "Always the Queen, I see..." He mumbled once more.

"I was a queen, and you took away my crown; a wife...and you killed my husband; a mother, and you deprived me...of my children. My blood alone remains: take it," She paused, drumming a hand against his chest as she exhaled, "...but do not make me suffer long." He peered down at her curiously, and she merely shrugged when she looked back at him, "I read when my mind is restless..."

Pressing another kiss to her temple, he couldn't help but be struck. He knew that she was a thinker and prone to anxiety but what worried him was her worrying about the end in mind-about what was to come. She 'read' when she was restless, she 'thought' when she was restless-it was unnerving enough that she was restless at all.

"Good thing I got some awesome onesies to match his awesome room..." Ruby's voice broke their voiceless interaction, needless of verbal interaction. She began to rifle through the paper bags, lifting one onesie that read: _**WHO LET THE DOGS OUT**_ in white letters against a red background.

David's chuckles were met with his wife's glare as she pulled away from him with the shake of her head, "I think I'll leave this to the two of you..."

"Oh c'mon, Regina-These onesies are awesome," She pleaded, holding another red onesie that read: _**CANINE'S BFFYL**_.

The former Mayor lifted a brow and Ruby whined, dropping the onesie back in the bag in defeat. Regina shook her head and hung a hand on the doorway, making her way to leave, "Your grandmother's here, yes?"

Ruby nodded, "Probably looking for your lasagna recipe..."

Her response was silent, a voiceless assurance that she would be fine when David's eyes met hers. He would go with her if she wished it-and she knew so, but assured him that she was fine with the briefest nod and slightest twinkle of her eyes. They always seemed to get along better when words were kept at a minimum, anyway.

On her short journey, she found herself pulled to the door of her daughter once more but, once again, found the courage to have abandoned her. It wasn't the right time-No, her little one always knew to find her when it was time and when she was ready. Yes, when the time came...when she was ready, she'd come.

"I've been meaning to thank you..." She had made her way down the stairs and found herself looking at the older woman observing the different mirrors that adorned the hallway from the foyer to the kitchen, practically sneaking up behind her.

"That'd been a bit more intimidating if you hadn't of been off balance and announced yourself like a bull in a china shop..." The grey haired matriarch didn't even bother to turn around, round eyes peering at the crystals that encased the circular glass, revealing her aging reflection.

"Look..Widow Lucas, I know that you don't like me or this situation..."

"And wrong you are-" Granny drawled, tracing a black horse figurine that mounted on the wall shelf. She threw a glare over her shoulder, "Always been a cocky one though, haven't you?" Regina was silent, standing behind her with unwavering stillness, hands pressed to her middles as she watched the woman traipse through her house. "Can I help you?" Granny asked, feeling the woman's eyes on the back of her head.

"I..." She swallowed, not knowing why her throat felt so dry or her heart thumped so furiously, "I wanted to talk to you.."

Granny turned around, sniffing her glasses up the bridge of her nose, "I don't want an apology if that's what you've come down here for-I'm not doing this for an apology-"

"Why exactly are you doing this?" She cleared her throat, her voice sounding much smaller than it should.

"Well, if I'm not mistaken, you asked Ruby to watch Charlotte-Or you had David do it for you..."

"Well, we both know Ruby and I know that you'd never deny your granddaughter help if she needed it, that's for certain..."

Granny shrugged, finally giving the woman her full attention, "Eh, you finally got one right." Regina's head titled a bit, still watching the woman's movements despite them being slowed considerably. She was watching her watching her and wondering if she knew that they both watched each other watch each other.

They probably did.

"I'd never put your daughter in harms way, if that's what you're wondering-I'd protect her like she was my own..." She wouldn't completely admit that a soft spot existed for the little girl or that she'd seen the softer side of the Mayor on more than one occasion and had come to grow fond of her. "It's not that I hate you, nah, that's not it...It's the deeds ya did that I hate-You were...well you lived up to your name." She surmised, "But I would never hold your babies to it...That wouldn't be right."

"That's good to know..." Regina admitted, stepping back when Granny turned to face her completely, still looking over round glasses to get a better look at her. "Thank you..."

"Don't thank me..Thank Ruby. Her heart's big enough for the both of us..." The brunette nodded and remained in her place, leading the older woman to do some contemplation, some thinking-which lead to her next question, "There something you want?"

Her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, holding closer to her middle as the woman looked her up and down, looking for an answer to her question. She felt-unguarded for some reason. Like any attempts to guard herself was futile and misguided anyway because the round eyes that face her would tear the walls down anyway.

"At the beginning of my reign, you retired from midwifery..."

Granny's eyes widened by a fraction before she snatched off her glasses, "I haven't delivered a baby in over-"

"No, no..." Regina stopped her, hands up and all, "I just..I remember-I heard of a tea, a concoction really that helped-it's supposed to stop-" Dammit, words seemed to be working against her. Here she was stumbling on her words like she'd never formed a coherent sentence in her life, abandoning the thought of being a previous politician. She didn't know why the request was so hard or why the admission was difficult but the round eyes-oh those round eyes were not making it any easier.

"Your kitchen?" Granny questioned and Regina flitted a finger in the right direction before the older woman turned on her heels and advanced with a quick pace, turning back to see the former monarch in the same place, "You're coming, aren't you-Try not to walk so hard, makes you sound like a-"

"..a bull in a china shop, I know, you've said it already.."

"I was gonna say a spooked horse-there you go being all cocky again..."

"Ruby, Regina's gonna kill you.." the pair sat on the floor of the nursery in front of a black duffle bag, sorting what to take with them and what to leave. Time and time again, the sheriff picked up a red onesie and placed it in the 'leave' pile while the former werewolf put one in the 'go' pile for every two he put in the 'leave' pile.

"Hey, all you said was get some preemie and newborn onesies-I did my job.."

"Ruby, it's a _baby_ not a _damn_ dog!" They chuckled at each other, "All these canine and dog puns-"

"I think the _real_ question is 'Why does Storybrooke's department store carry these rather than why did I buy them-let's start at the root of the issue here..." She rationalized before catching his eye and busting into another fit of laughter.

"Hey..." He started, catching his breath as he reached for another onesie to fold, "You think they've killed each other yet?"

Ruby paused before shaking her head, "Nah...it's too quiet..."

"Yeah you're right..." David nodded, "Besides, Regina's a screamer..."

Ruby stopped her movements before letting out a hollow laugh, "What?!"

David scrunched his nose and shoved her shoulder, "That's not what I meant and you know it!"

"Whatever man..." Ruby side eyed him and cackled softly beneath her breath.

"Oh wait..." David wiped at the tear below one of his eyes as his laughter subsided, "You do know that you're living at the house, right?"

"What?" Ruby looked at him, a smirk on her face, "I thought Charlotte was gonna move in with us..."

"Do you really want to make her leave the house..." Considering the past few months of staying at Granny's and the idea of having to leave her home and her room didn't sit well with the fact that the toddler was already struggling with being essentially left behind.

"I guess not.." Ruby pondered, "That means I get the master?"

David shook his head, "Nice try-there's a guest room for Granny and your hideaway is still in tact in the basement..."

"Regina _still_ makes you dust it?"

"Once a week- _every_ week.."

The wolf smiled at the thought-She would hide out in their basement when living with granny became _more_ than just a pain in the hind-parts. Eventually the Mayor started furnishing the large space, piece by piece until it was like an apartment without a kitchen, safe for the wolf to ride out her moods. Really, the more she thought about it, the more she realized that Regina and her had grown closer that she thought.

"I dunno if Granny'll be up to staying though...You know she likes to be in her own house..."

"Well whatever makes her comfortable-I just want Charlie-"

"I know..." Ruby smirked before nudging his arm, "Remember, I'm the third rail in this parenthood..."

"This..." David held up a red t-shirt with a German shepherd and the words I GET ALL THE B*TCHES, "..true parenting..."

Ruby snatched it from his grasps, "That's for me..."

"I'm guessing I paid for that as well..."

"Well It's not like you got me a birthday present..."

"Ruby we've been frozen in time for twenty eight years..."

"Well then you have a lot of making up to do!" She concurred, nudging him once more until he rubbed at his exposed forearm.

"Wolf..."

"Shepherd..."

"Canine..."

"Prince-"

"A handsome one at that..." He added, earning a glare from his helper. They looked down to find that the onesies were folded and sorted and their task was complete, leaving them sitting on a floor with laughter dancing in their eyes, a wanton friendship and two heads full of memories.

The Sheriff was the first to stand, extending a hand to the former waitress, "Let's go make sure there isn't a crime scene downstairs..."

David moved towards the door, lifting the red canine onesies that they were leaving behind, and placing them into the top dresser drawer, while shouldering the other duffel bag that he would take with them. "Hey..." She stopped him, placing a hand on his elbow to pull him back. He turned back and she twisted her mouth, kicking at the invisible dust on the floor before mustering up the courage to tell him, "I don't hate you...What you did was shitty as hell but...I don't hate you..."

He took a small step as if he would hug her but he knew they had more than that to say to each other so he just smiled tightly. They'd get there eventually-The restoration of their friendship was...delayed at best.

But not denied.

X

"How does it taste?" Granny asked, wielding a silver matte spoon over the pot on the stove, gauging Regina's reaction as she brought the mug to her lips and swallowed thickly.

Regina peered over the rim, pulling it from her mouth with curled lips, "..bitter..."

Granny scoffed, "I didn't ask you to describe yourself..."

Regina guffawed at her bluntness and rolled her eyes, setting the mug down on the counter with a clack, "Widow Lucas, it honestly is bitter!

"Fine, fine..." Granny grumbled and begrudgingly added a teaspoon of honey to Regina's mug, "Your taste buds are shot..."

"Widow Lucas..."

"Eugenia...or Granny-Whichever one doesn't make me sound like I have one foot in the grave..." Her eyes met the ones that she searched for and Regina nodded, stirred the concoction slowly before mustering a small smile, "Very well...Eugenia-"

"Nope-NOPE!" Granny shook her head, "Not if you're gonna say it like that, get the royal off your tongue and just say my name..."

"Eugenia.."

"...you-gene-yah...not you-geneeyah..." Granny turned back to the pot and added a few teaspoons of honey, "Try it _again_.."

Regina swallowed, not used to obliging orders, " _Eugenia_..."

" **Girl**...better _stop_ playing with me..."

Regina's mouth flapped open, her eyes wide as she looked around in disbelief, "I am not ' _playing'_ with you-I _am_ saying your name!"

"Say it right!"

"I _am_ saying it right! And I don't usually take directions like some measly _plebeian_ but I have to say that I'm doing a fine job- _EUGENIA_..."

Granny snorted and turned back to the pot, shaking her head as a small smirk spread across her features. "What?" Regina questioned, seeing the woman's shoulder's shake as her back was turned to her.

"You're a hot-headed one too..." Regina paused before settling her posture and calming the need to defend herself. This may be as civil as it would get with the older widow-And part of her needed to be okay with that. Even if it meant quelling her need to be in control.

"Everything okay in here?" Regina lifted the mug to her lips as she turned to see Ruby and David coming in the doorway, "We heard yelling.."

Ruby snorted before mumbling under her breath, "..more like screaming.." before earning a nudge to the ribs by David.

"What's brewing?" He asked, crossing the threshold to make his way over to Regina. She was still deep in her mug when he came over, placing both hands on her shoulder before kissing the side of her head and trying to peek into her mug.

"None of your business..." Granny answered.

David looked to Regina who just shrugged, "You heard her...Eugenia has spoken..."

" _Girl_..."

"What?! I said it _right_!" Regina defended, brows scrunched as her mug clacked once more against the counter.

Granny spun around and pointed the spoon in Regina's direction, swinging the metal weapon at the unfazed brunette."Look here-there's no genie in my name-It's _EUGENIA_ , like a good ol' pair of blue jeans. EUGENIA- you-gene-yah.."

Regina grumbled as she picked back up her mug, "..it's what I said.."

David smirked at his wife, rubbing circles in her back, "Regina, it's really not..."

She turned her eyes up at him and took the mug from her mouth, "...shut up."

"Regina..."

She shot darts in his direction with a light scowl, "I can't hit her but I can hit you..." She whispered before he stepped back and leaned on the counter, letting her drink whatever it was in that brew.

"Mommy..." Muffled chuckles and grumbles were silence when a little voice infiltrated their space. Regina froze with her mug in hand as small feet shuffled across the floor until they stopped at the counter stool she sat at. With Mr. Bear pressed to her face, the toddler let her watery eyes do the expressing before she spoke once more to ask, "...time to leave?"

David peered at his watch and saw the time to be 12:45...

He didn't know how time got away from them or why Charlotte seemed to know the perfect time to come down but she did, and it was about that time. Anxious brown eyes turned to him and he nodded slowly, easing off of the counter.

"I'll go put the baby's stuff in the trunk with the carseat..." Ruby picked up the black duffle bag as Granny turned to her side to grab the thermos beside her, rinsing it out so that she could put it to use.

The atmosphere had changed and the Sheriff now found himself lifting their little girl onto the counter so that she sat between her two parents, neither with dry eyes or light hearts. He looked to his wife but found the reticence in her eyes to tell him a difference story. So he twisted Charlotte's socked foot and gave her a short smile to ease the fear that she had lingering in her mind. "You're gonna have...so much fun...with Granny and...Auntie Ruby...You can play dress up," the words were mingling with the tears that wanted to spill form his eyes, "You can have tea parties...You can...go to war with Mr Bear," a tearful laugh escaped him, "...and mommy and I will be back before you know it..." he tapped her nose, "You won't even notice that we're gone..."

Her brown eyes watered at the sentiment as she kicked the air lightly, looking at them both with the tiniest bit of hope, "...can I go?" She asked, her bottom lip trembling with the thought of rejection that she knew was near.

David shook his head and squeezed her little knee, "But you can call us...Just tell Auntie Ruby-early in the morning or way past your bedtime, anytime at all." Charlotte kept her teddy bear against her cheek, letting his fur soak the tears the fell down her cheeks as she pressed him closer to her.

"I love you-We both do..." Regina finally spoke, holding it together for the sake of her sanity. "We'll be back soon, sweetheart, I promise..." Charlotte shook her head and scooted up the counter and into her mother's arms. Usually David would have pulled the two apart to avoid the extra weight of one brunette on the other in her current condition but he just couldn't bring himself to. Not when she was clinging to her, burying her head in her mother's neck as the tears soaked her bear and her skin.

Regina breathed out evenly, holding tight to her little girl as her own tears fell and she fought to maintain control over her own emotions, feeling Charlotte's arms tighten around her neck-She didn't intend on letting go anytime soon.

When he had eventually gotten the brunettes unwound and Ruby had gotten the bags into the car, he did a quick sweep of the house to make sure he didn't leave anything behind. Stepping into the foyer, Granny and Ruby had already taken Charlotte to the car and were waiting for the pair in the foyer. He didn't want to rush her though, as she was already having a hard time dealing with leaving Charlotte behind.

Which made his request all the more awkward.

"Regina?" he called, seeing her standing by the door with her coat on, wiping at the residual tears beneath her eye. She turned to him but gave no verbal response, sniffling time and time again. "Gold said that I had to have a talisman...something I have to wear at all times-the thing I'd pour the vial on.."

"Oh God, David.." She grumbled, watching him evenly with red rimmed eyes, "..please don't tell me that you lost it..."

"No...no," he crossed the foyer to where she stood and kissed her cheek, rubbing her arms lovingly, "I have it-I just need the item..."

"Well what is it?"

He shrugged, tried to man up his courage to ask her, stuffing his pockets with a fist before pulling out the vial and using his other hand to lift hers, "Since I can't just pour it on you..." He teased and earned a weak smile from her, despite the heaviness of her heart, "I need this..." He gently held her hand up and discreetly pointed to the silver banded emerald ring on her ring finger, right above her wedding band.

"My engagement ring?" It reminded him so much of the ring his mother had given him to give to the woman he found to be his true love. The ring that helped him find his love at the time. And though he knew that Snow still had the original, he couldn't help but feel that the uncanny resemblance to the ring she bared, the ring he'd given her in his cursed state, was somewhat of a sign. Not only was his mother still with him.

But he'd made the right choice.

She sniffled without objection and slid the ring from her finger before holding out her other hand. Taking the cork from the vial, he gave it to her and watched as she slipped the ring in the solution, gem first, so that it didn't touch her fingers. The liquid seemed to be absorbed within the band and stone, having disappeared completely in a small puff of smoke. Pocketing the now useless vial, she sniffled once more and held out her hand for him to give her his. When he obliged her, she slipped it onto his pinkey finger with a quip, "...your other fingers are far too fat..."

She looked up and found his eyes to be equally as red and his heart to be equally as heavy, but he tilted up her chin and gave her one last kiss-lips to lips and soul tie to soul tie. It didn't last long because it didn't have to.

It was enough to give either the courage to do what they needed to do.

The courage to leave.

X

She didn't want to move but she had to.

There was that same panic-that same state of worry and fear challenging her heart's stamina to withstand all that it could bare. They were parked in front of the town line-sitting, just sitting and waiting because she didn't want to move. Because she was panicking-She didn't know how to quell it and she didn't know how to stop it-She was just frozen.

David got out of the car and closed the door gently but quickly as Ruby and Granny got Charlotte out and she ran to his open arms, wrapping her arms around his neck as he lifted her up in the air and kissed her cheek before holding her close, "I'm gonna miss you so much Charlie-horse..." He pulled her back so that he could get a good look at her and peck her nose, to which she did the same-rearing her head back and pecking his nose.

"I love you, daddy.." She spoke in a small voice, tears obviously welling in her throat once more.

"I love you too, Charlie..." He gave her a good squeeze, keeping his tears at bay as he held her to him for as long and as close as he could.

Granny walked around to Regina's side of the car, seeing the car door ajar but not fully open, "Whatcha waiting on?"

Regina turned to face those damned round eyes to reveal her own tears, saying nothing yet saying everything. Granny pushed her glasses up and handed her the black thermos, "Take a few good gulps every hour on the hour and you should be fine-I'll tell David not to drive too fast so your stomach won't get upset...Try to rest a little on the drive over."

Regina nodded slowly and gripped the thermos tightly before placing it in the cup holder. Granny opened the car door, regardless of if the woman was ready or not and held out her hand with lifted gray brows. "Call me Granny when you get around other folks...I don't want the others calling me by real name and messing it up like you do..." Regina took the hand the was extended to her and nodded quickly, taking the soft lashes that were being given to her. "Alright?"

Regina turned to look at David holding Charlotte in his arms with Ruby as an onlooker, the little girls face being barely visible with it tucked into her father's neck. The tears began to foment once more and the hand that helped her up gave hers a light squeeze-silent and reassuring.

Just what she needed.

Granny didn't have to tell her to come on-she knew. She knew that when the older woman pulled on her hand that she had to follow whether she liked it or not. She also knew that she had to kiss her little girl goodbye-she couldn't leave without doing that.

"Anything left for me?" Charlotte's eyes opened and David turned around with a weak smile before sitting Charlotte on the trunk of the car to avoid Regina having to bend over or pick her up. Charlotte rubbed absently at her wet eyes and looked up to find her mother hovering over her. Seeing the trail of tears that seemed identical to her own, a chubby finger lifted and traced the trail on Regina's cheeks, sniffling just as her mother had.

"Sad tears?" The toddler asked and was almost certain of the answer.

Regina nodded with a tearful chuckle, holding her sobs back so that all that showed were tears here and there-not her breaking heart. "Sad tears..." She affirmed, taking her thumb to Charlotte's cheeks to clear them of her own trails. "Mommy loves you...so much..." Charlotte nodded, feeling the pads of her mother's fingers caress her cheeks. "We're coming back..." She nodded as the toddler grabbed her neck for an embrace, "We're coming back.." She whispered, kissing the side of Charlotte's head before petting her hair down as she buried herself in her mother's embrace.

David turned his back to them as he wiped at his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. Ruby placed a comforting hand on his back, rubbing up and down in at attempt to keep him at bay-at an attempt of restoring that paused friendship. He turned back to her and engulfed her in a hug that she wasn't expecting, but accepted wholeheartedly.

Life was short and they didn't have forever. He wasn't going to leave town without mending their relationship-without getting his friend back. And when he pulled away to see the unshed tears in her eyes, he knew that he had.

"David..." He heard her call and turned around to see her running her hair down Charlotte's hair, sniffing and crying all at the same time. He knew _that_ look and he knew _that_ tone-it was time to go.

Granny pulled up Charlotte and calmed the toddler with smoothing circles as she whimpered at the thought of this being a true goodbye. Ruby shared a hug with her newly acquired friend and whispered, "When you meet Noah, tell him that he has some awesome onesies waiting for him back home..." The emotion was clear in her voice but she held it together and hugged her once more as the former Mayor nodded into her embrace. Stepping back she stood in line with Granny as the leaving pair made their way to one another.

They weren't leaving each other but they needed strength from each other-And an embrace was how they got that, each clinging to the other for hope, for faith, for strength-for love that traveled from heart to heart. They'd make it there.

And they'd make it back.

He kissed her temple once more and moved to hold the door open as he helped her into the passenger seat and closed her in. Going around back, he held his hand up to the trio in front of Ruby's Cadillac and they responded, Granny with a nod, Ruby with a smile and Charlotte with a tearful wave.

Closing his own door was hard enough-but now he had to drive away, stealing glances at his wife as she fought to keep it together. Starting up her black Mercedes, he looked back to see them and placed a hand on Regina's leg-they'd do it together, as hard as it was, they had do to it anyway so it might as well be a joint effort. The engine was started and the car was in gear-The tears had fallen and fences had been mended.

They just had to cross.

Easing the vehicle across the line, he lightly pressed the horn as the black bumper became like a figment of their imagination, disappearing passed the veil that was the real world. It was bittersweet, the tears in her eyes and the tears in his being tell-tale signs of that but they would be back-they had to. They just had to get to Boston first. So he mustered the courage and pushed past that faded orange line.

Her eyes darkened.

His ring glowed.

And they had crossed.


	26. Retrospect

_1:20_

Her eyes darkened

His ring glowed

They had crossed.

And a chill swept passed them both.

It was more than a breeze and less than a wind- it made the hairs on their neck stand at attention and their eyes do a quick once-over each other. It caused goosebumps to rise and form in the presence of a light chill and a fleeting doubt to pass their hearts. More than a breeze.

Less than a wind.

"David?" Her voice matched the hollow pause in the air, waiting to be filled with assurance, waiting to be filled with confidence that all was well. That when her eyes darkened, when his ring glowed, when the orange covered asphalt ceased to matter, all was well.

That this thing that was more than a breeze-but less than a wind-Not weak enough to go unnoticed but not enough to knock them over, was nothing but a mere side effect.

Hopefully it was the only price of this magical journey.

"David?" Chestnut eyes widened at his lack of response, deciphering his stillness as more than it seemed. The way his back humped into a slouch and the whites of his knuckles paled farther than either of them thought possible, gripping the leather hide of the steering wheel with more force than was needed to push forward.

"David..."

Was the third time the charm or the cause for alarm? Was the fact that the whites of his eyes were more prominent than the blue that she had grown to love-that she had grown to calm with. Was it time to panic or was it time to relax, enjoy the breezes, enjoy the winds and ride.

But alas, nothing was ever truly that simple. Not with them.

The painfully slow way his neck turned to face her, the rest of his body struck still, that's what hitched her breath. But what took it away, what made her feel like breath wasn't even attainable was the lost look in his eyes-the way the whites of his eyes matched the hollowness of the air. The way he didn't seem to...know.

He didn't know.

"Where..." He began turning back to look at the endless forest behind them before passing a glance over her once more. "Where are we?"

_1:26_

They had just pulled away when her phone buzzed in her pocket, an eye lifting to the rear-view mirror to see a brunette toddler latched onto her grandmother rather than sitting in her car-seat, brown locks intertwining with that of Granny's gray curls. But the older werewolf didn't seem to mind, sweeping circles over the girl's young back with nothing more than comforting nothings to whisper in her ear, hoping that this would be the extent of her heartache and her parents would return sooner rather than later.

Hopefully.

Fighting to slip her phone from the jeans that hugged her hips, she was quick to answer before Charlotte's sniffles escalated to cries once more by her promiscuous ring tone. "...Ello?" She answered, sniffling back the residual tears that she'd suppressed in the tearful goodbye, pulling closer to town in her Cherry Red Cadillac.

"Ru-Ruby." The distant husk of her name caught her off guard as she listened to what sounded like light hiccups in her ear, looking back at her phone to see who it was that had called her.

"Regina?" She whispered into the speaker of her phone, knowing that Charlotte could do more than recognize her mother's name. Had the Mayor's voice been loud enough to be heard over the speaker, the toddler would have lifted her head indefinitely. "What's going on-Are you, are you guys okay?"

At the question, Granny nudged her knee against the side of Ruby's seat, prompting Ruby to put the vehicle in park. "Regina-what's going on? Didn't you guys cross?"

"I can't do this..."

"Regina-what..." Unbuckling her seatbelt with one hand while she held her phone between her shoulder and cheek, nimble fingers pushed open the car door as she jumped out and closed it behind her. "Regina, I need you to talk to me-What can't you do?"

"I can't...do this." Another hiccup rang through the speaker and Ruby sighed, pressing at her forehead with the heel of her palm.

"Well...are you guys coming back or-"

"I already tr-tried...and I can't." A hiccup.

"Alright, just-Let me talk to David.."

"No."

"No?" She reared her head back from her own phone, pacing the asphalt beneath her black spiked boots, "Regina, just let me-"

"He doesn't-" A deep breath. "He doesn't remember."

_1:40_

He was confused.

Alright, he was more than confused. He couldn't tell where they were or why they were there-The backseat had luggage and a car-seat in it and he had no idea why. There was a funny looking device showing him what looked like a map, with the logo _**CHARLEZ**_ emblazoned upon the top that was speaking to him. And frankly, it was the only thing that would speak to him.

_Continue straight towards I-95_

_What the hell is an 'I-95'_ was all that crossed his mind.

And his wife, well his wife had locked him in the car to leave him watching her pace the pavement, her eyes avoiding his. Her hair was longer than he remember, growing a little passed her shoulders rather than right above them; if looks weren't deceiving, he could swear that the bulge beneath her tied and closed trench coat was more than her phone and she was farther along than he remembered.

And she was whispering.

_Why is she whispering?_

Turning around to get a better look at her, he found that the Mayor had propped her hands against the trunk of her vehicle, head bowed as she breathed-as she calmed. Dammit. He pushed at the lock on the door in his attempt to get out of this confining small space to go see about her-not to badger her with questions but to just see if there was anything he could do.

He was all too familiar with that look of panic on her face, that state of conflict. He knew the signs of her chest heaving just a tad slower than usual and her features flushing passed the point of normalcy.

You've got this, Sheriff.

Rolling the window down completely, he stuck his arm out into the brisk air and opened the door from the outside, a faint smile meeting his features when he heard the 'unclick' hit his ears. Though the smile that donned his face was short-lived; for when he escaped his wife's car, he found her doing more than necessary not to lose herself.

Cool.

Calm.

Collected.

All things she needed in that moment and all things that she didn't have. And the fact that his damned blue eyes were now watching her from the distance of two feet didn't help matters at all. And when he closed the space between them so that only two inches can be accounted for, matters were only made worse.

"I-I can't..." Her elbow nudged at his abdomen, hoping that he would back away as she took a step back herself, holding onto the trunk of her car as her eyes roamed the gravel. Yes, pebbles and grayed pavement were more comforting than the emptiness in his eyes. "Da-David-don't..." But he didn't listen.

He never did.

His hand latched around the arm that held her up and she flinched at his touch, stiffening as though the mere feeling of him against her skin was more than a common anesthetic. Her breaths hitched when his other hand took hold of her other arm and he continued to not listen-to act on a whim. He wanted her to look at him and when she did, when she did, the breath that she could barely keep nearly escaped her once more.

He didn't know about her past. He didn't know about the darkness in her heart. He didn't know about the wickedness that plagued her thoughts, that plagued the footsteps that she'd once walked in. He knew of no one named James or Snow-or the Evil Queen.

He was David Nolan in its purest form.

The cursed form.

_1:41_

"You limping son of a bitch!" The bell clacked over her red head as the door slammed behind her and the slurs rolled off her tongue, right behind the fire that accompanied it. She was, to say the very least, fuming. She was confused-She was scared.

Ignorance does indeed promote fear.

"Oh that's a new one..." Leaning on his own cane, the malevolent, not quite a demon, not quite a man, cracked an all-knowing smirk. "I see you've been in the company of the Mayor..."

"WHAT did YOU do?" No, she wasn't intimidating by nature. Yes, she was a werewolf, but she'd spent 28 years serving tables in stilettos and smiling at customers, grateful and ungrateful. Some of the ferocity may have been lost.

"Well I've been living for more than a few centuries, so I'm afraid you'll have to be a bit more specific, dearie."

"David..." She spoke, watching him as her black boots teemed closer and closer to his presence. "...he doesn't remember waking up..."

Gold leaned closer to his lengthy aide, tilting his head in pure amusement at the steam practically rolling from the young waitress's aura. "I don't see how this concerns you..."

"It-He's...He's my friend!" She defended, crossing her arms as to appear taller than she actually was, her toes tipping onto his wooden floor.

"Oh...the friend that you met through your...best friend, Snow White-the woman you abandoned in favor for a ride on the Evil Queen's leather cape?"

The werewolf's mouth flapped open with the lack of sound or words, only encouraging the limping son of a bitch to continue in his ways. Whatever he was doing was working. Whatever games he was playing, he was winning at it.

"If I were you..." He leaned into her space, curling his fingers in the air with each thought that passed his mind, "I'd worry about my own dilemmas before concerning myself with the troubles of the Queen and her stolen Prince..."

_1:41_

Her eyes seemed to be attached to the floor, avoiding his at all costs. It didn't matter if his eyes were watching her, if his hands held gently to her upper arms or that his torso pressed against her middle, a shadow of his breath, hitting her every so often. He was close-too close for her to take it.

"I can't do this..." With her eyes now closed, she resigned herself to a simple defeat, allowing her head to shake slowly with the realization that this was just too much, this was-this wasn't what she wanted. They'd gone through too much for him to go back to the naive man that had fallen into her trap. He couldn't handle her, not like this. Not this beast of a woman that seemed to spill over from her past life-he couldn't handle her raw anger, her rage, and her complexities.

In four months, they had outgrown this seemingly infantile stage in their relationship. This David didn't know the depths of her heart-he certainly hadn't seen her at her lows, with her fears. Sure, she trusted this David more than the other at times but, this David was nothing more than a shadow of a shattered dream.

He wasn't real.

The grip on her forearms wasn't real. The body pressed up against her wasn't real. The feeling that he left her when his lips pressed against her knuckles in an attempt to calm her-it felt so real.

But it couldn't be.

This wasn't how it was supposed to be.

How was she supposed to go to a new world, foreign save for the few hours she spent procuring Henry, with a man that didn't know the troughs of her personality. She would only let him see so much, filtering their relationship past what he knew. At first, she missed this David, this cursed David, this David that didn't know all of her-But now, now she needed the David that knew the good, the bad, and the ugly. She needed the David that had a hard time accepting her for who she was. She needed the man that she'd gone through hell for.

So that when they went through it again, they'd go through it together.

"I remember...coming home to you..." He spoke lowly to her closed eyes, thumbing softly against the fabric of her coat as he breathed. "And now we're here...in the middle of nowhere…And I can see that...you're scared but, I need you to talk to me. Because something's wrong..." His head tilted a bit as he pressed himself closer to her, eyebrows knitted with her lack of response, "...please?"

She didn't want to tell him that he was just a shell of a man. She didn't even know for sure-well she did, but she didn't want to admit it. That would be too painful and she wasn't in the business of crushing her own heart to dust. Slowly but surely, brown eyes revealed themselves to him, brimming with a glistening that made him frown as the trails slipped down her cheeks. And well, of course-being that she was just his wife and he was just her husband- he took the pads of his thumbs and wiped them away.

And she shuddered.

Because it was just too much.

"I can't..." Her eyes flurried down to the collar of his shirt, wanting with every fiber of her being to run away and hide-to never come out-to never face that damned look in his eyes. "I can't even look at you..."

"Hey...just..." He looked around them, trying to find a panacea, trying to find a resolve-wanting nothing more than for this broken voice of hers to soothe, for himself to have some answers and her to have some peace. "Just tell me what happened." He pleaded, trying to catch her eyes as she refused him with the shake of her head, "...I'll fix it, whatever it is-Just, just tell me.."

"You can't..." Was the mumble that left her.

"What?"

"You can't!" Was the yell that left her.

And when she met his eyes, he saw an anger that he was unfamiliar with as she pulled away from his hold, backing away into the garlands that brimmed the edge of the asphalt. She was angry because he promised that he wouldn't leave her and, even if there was no control over it, even if he didn't mean to, she wasn't known to be a rational person.

"You can't fix this-You don't, you don't even remember why we're here!" She gestured around herself, growing frustrated with the constant setbacks in their lives, the constant kick of fate against their backs.

4 steps forward.

12 steps back.

"Well maybe if I knew-"

"You can't do anything!" She retorted, far too quickly for either of them to process before she started up again. "You're powerless!" Heavy breaths left and entered her as she padded a palm to her middle, turning away from him. "We both are..."

He nodded, kicking the gravel at his foot as he breathed. If touching her made it worse then he'd keep his hands to himself, stuffing them in his pockets. "Regina, what..." Swallowing thickly, he was careful to not make this about himself even though it was him that had lost 4 months of his life. "What do you want me to do?"

Her answer wasn't immediate, her shoulders rising and falling as she gathered herself in an attempt to breathe, to not lose herself, to not lose her mind. This was not the time-Nope, there was too much riding on this, too many people depending on this journey. She took a deep breath, opened her eyes and brushed her palms against the plum her cheeks to rid her skin of the trails.

Turning around to meet his eyes, her stare was monotonous and her face-expressionless. "I want you to...get in the car and drive."

He blinked at her request, having hoped that there was more to it than that. "Drive where? Back home?"

"No... To Massachusetts...Boston, Massachusetts."

_2:56_

_Continue onto I-95 South for 191 more miles._

"Thank you, Charles.." Were the words that he mumbled beneath his breath. It seemed as though the only person willing to talk to him was that of an automated voice, directing him about the highways and byways. Flickering his sight over to his right for a few moments, he found her in the same place that she had been in for the past hour-well, the passed 90 miles. Her elbow was propped on the door and her line of sight never wavered from the road before them, never daring to look in his direction.

"Can I ask you something?"

"No."

At her curt response, he returned his eyes to the road, straightening his shoulders despite the sting of her word, slap against his ears. Ironically enough, losing 4 months just made him more susceptible to her upset. The last couple of months acted as boot camp for him to build up an armor-to prepare himself.

For...this journey. The journey that he himself would never get to take.

Passing an eye over at him, she sighed with the loss of patience and the building of guilt. It wasn't his fault-that's what she was constantly reminding herself of. What was going on, what they were experiencing-it wasn't his fault. He was a mere pawn-once again he was a pawn in a game; only this time, she wasn't the one pulling the strings.

He was an innocent, naive, sweet little sheriff from a sleepy town in Maine that knew nothing more than what she told him. He loved his wife, he loved his kids and he craved happiness-he craved her happiness. That was all.

And that wasn't so bad...

Was it?

He would do anything if it meant that she was happy-ANYTHING. This was the man that had picked out all the peanuts out of a 24 ounce bag of trailmix with plastic gloves on because she simply didn't like the way they looked. This was the man that would get up at any hour of the night to get her what she wanted, with child or not. This is the man that wouldn't let her go when she pushed him away because he knew, he knew that she would be worse off if she did.

But he was cursed.

The other one, well, he would do all those things as well but they would fight the whole way through. With him nothing was easy, nothing could simply be good. Ignorance could never be bliss because they were constantly busting each other's bubble-But it kept her on her toes. It let weaknesses be her strength and it tested her wills. It wasn't a passive love, it was a love that kicked you to make sure you were still there.

It still hurt though.

"What?"

"Wh-huh?" He sputtered, hearing the faintest hint of reception in her voice.

"What is it..." A huff. "...you wanted to ask me?"

"Oh..." Clearing his thought, he passed his eyes over her a few times before speaking once more. "Are...are you cold?"

Her brows rose by a small fraction and he shrugged, reaching a hand behind him as the other stayed with a tight grip on the steering wheel. "You just-you..." grunting lowly as he tugged his arm forward, between his grasp held a blue patchwork of sorts, neatly sewed and crisply folded. "...here..."

Less words.

Less fighting.

Shaking it lightly with his one free hand, he laid it on her lap so that it covered her legs, "You just looked...cold..." But she doesn't say anything, eyes wavering over each thread, a finger tracing lightly at the stitches, slightly worn from use. It was stiff and thick, perfect for the winter, perfect for a bed cover, perfect for a boy, not quite a man and not quite a baby, looking for warmth beneath his covers.

It was perfect.

For Henry.

The blonde Sheriff watched her movements, eyes fleeting meticulously at this patch of material he'd set atop of her. Considering her words from earlier, her distant actions-this couldn't mean that all was well.. "I don't remember...packing but-it was, um-it was the only blanket I could see back there-"

"It's Henry's..."

"Oh, I-just-" He fumbled, privately cursing himself for possibly having made things worse between them.

"I made it for him..." She breathed, sniffling a bit as her eyes traced the patches that intertwined one after another, "He put it in the closet when...Emma came to town." She looked up to meet his eyes, trying to ignore the shining in her own, "It's his..."

Slowly but surely, his hand reached over and shook the blanket loose until it unfolded and swept over her legs. She said nothing, eyes trained on the material until a daring move had her looking at him, waiting for him to meet her in the middle. Taking his eyes from the road for a second, he looked up to see her staring at him, looking for strength she didn't have. Even in this moment-even if he wasn't the David that she needed, he still knew of her pain, though unknown to how deep it ran.

He knew that it was there.

Tearful eyes, seared with a pain he didn't think he understood-A quivering lip trying to keep it inside, trying to take it in stride. She didn't shed tears for it anymore, it hurt-it was painful, it broke her piece by piece but the outward expression of such agony seemed juvenile to her, at this point.

Tears didn't suffice the pain that whipped at her heart, that ate her alive.

Those that didn't know would think she didn't care, she didn't talk about it, she didn't mention it, she was stoic in the presence of it.

A weakness is within us all, but only the strongest can make it invisible.

"I was his world..." She whispered, a thumb picking at a loose thread that could unravel the whole blanket-she didn't pull it though. It could be the Emma Swan of it all, pull it forward and the world will come crashing down. "...and he was mine..." She didn't talk about it, she acted like it didn't exist because stepping out of ignorance felt like cardiac arrest.

Her chest clenched

Her breath was lost

Her limbs numbed

And for a second, she could swear the world went black.

"I could do no wrong..." She shook her head at the turn of events. The words she spoke were like taunts, being that she was living through quite the opposite. "I broke him..." She mumbled, a silent tear leaving her with a quick start and a slow stop that stained a blanket, already known for holding the tears of the one she cried over.

David was broken

Regina was broken

The curse was broken

Even Charlotte, Charlotte had a few cracks herself

But Henry? Did anyone think of Henry?

No. He was a brat. He was acting up. He was upset. He didn't see the world for what it was. He was ungrateful. Perhaps he was, but perhaps the list doesn't end there. Perhaps the first person in the world he trusted was the first person to lie to him. Perhaps the first friend he had in the world felt like his first enemy. Perhaps the first person that had scared the monsters away turned out to be one herself.

Henry, Henry was broken too.

"It didn't have to be this way..." She sniffed back tears, though it was futile, because the trail that left was soon wet once more with more pain, more memories, more tangible evidence of a pain she had ignored to keep from killing herself from the inside out. "I could have...handled it better-I could have talked to him, I could have told him the truth...So what if you hated me, so what if the c-" She choked on the sobs that rose like bile in her throat, burning at her for stirring so long, for burning so long. "...curse...broke...He is...was my son..."

"No..." David's hand flew to her blanket covered thigh, hoping to offer the only comfort he could without opening the floodgates and welcoming either, more tears or fire of fury-depending on if he screwed up or not. "Henry-he will always be your son." She looked to him, brows pushed against each other as she pouted tearfully, "You don't believe me? Regina, you raised him for ten years-"

"And I messed everything up in a matter of months..." Her fist balled unconsciously at her side, "Months, David-It only took months for me to break a ten year old boy..." At hearing the words herself, she shook her head and turned from him, covering her mouth with a shaken exhale as she mumbled, "...gods..."

What could he say?

_"Regina, he loves you.."_

To make the tears stop.

_"He knows that-he knows that you love him..."_

To ease the pain.

_"You're his mother..."_

To make hating herself harder and loving herself easier.

What could he say?

It's not like he knew what happened in these months that she spoke of, these months that slipped from his mind, only to taunt him in her memories and fleeting words. He knew nothing of what she spoke but that didn't stop his attempts at comfort, being glad himself that she hadn't pulled away with his advances.

"I'm..I'm sorry..." She pushed the heel of her palm under her eyes and turned away from him, shifting in her seat. He didn't know what the hell she was talking about and probably was looking at her like she had lost her ever-living mind. "Just ignore me..."

"Hey..." He reached for her and she leaned closer to the door, refusing his attempts.

With a labored sigh, he found himself slowing down on this long stretch of 'highway', pulling to the side of the road where the grass was low and the asphalt was smooth before coming to a complete stop-a pause in both their journey and their wordless banter.

Un-clicking the seatbelt that held him in place, he turned to look at her, met with the side of her body as she refused his eye. "Regina..." He called, blue eyes wide as he waited for her response, "Regina, I'm not going anywhere until you look at me..."

Relenting, she rolled her neck slowly, giving him part of her profile as she pushed roughly at a tear that slipped passed her, "What?"

"..."

With his silence, she grew more frustrated and finally turned to look at him fully, shaking her head at his stubborn nature, cursed or not. "What?!"

"Lean on me."

"...what?" But the third time, oh the third time was a broken whisper that barely left her throat. It was hoarse at the root and soft at the core.

He nodded gently, reaching for her blanket-covered thigh in hopes that she would relent, "You don't have to do this by yourself-You don't have to...torture yourself like this..."

"You don't rememb-"

"It doesn't matter, Regina-I still love you!" It was a declaration that he felt that she needed to be reminded of, that she seemed to lose sight of. "...just..just lean on me." He pleaded softly, looking into watery brown eyes in hopes that he had gotten through to her. "I don't know why we're going to Boston-And I don't know what happened between us in the last couple of months...But I do remember us fighting nonstop until the day Charlotte was born-and we were both miserable." He shrugged, turning further, "We couldn't do it without each other..."

The breath that left her could barely be considered that, being that it was haggard and short-shaky and distant. Leaning against the door with the palm of her hand holding up her cheek, she allowed her eyes to filter in his direction once more.

And with hesitance.

With a little bit of fear.

She let him in her heart.

And covered his hand with hers.

_Continue onto I-95 South_

_4:18_

_Continue on I-95 towards Boston_

"What's that?"

His question perked her ears, but not enough for her to stop her actions or turn to face him. His question was one that she had ignored from the previous David and would continue that trend, acting as if he had said nothing when soft palms clammed around the body of her black thermos.

Another gulp.

Another grimace.

The only way she got through it was knowing that it was for the best. Well, that and internally scolding Granny for having refused to put more honey in the brew that left more than an aftertaste on her tongue. In the end, it was helping-it was doing more than she herself could do. After all, she was stuck in her own vehicle for four and a half hours with her amnesiac husband and a mind full of memories.

Yup.

Only so much that she could do.

"Can I...taste it?"

Pausing mid-swallow, her gaze flicked in his direction sharply, promptly giving him a wordless answer that needn't any explanation. He cleared his throat and adjusted himself in the seat.

Perhaps that wasn't the best way to go about things.

"Umm...how...how far along..." He paused, stumbling in how he should phrase the endless variety of questions that swarmed his mind. "Are-you..can you-"

Another gulp.

Another grimace.

And a sudden surge forward.

His upper body jolted forward in a sudden movement, forcing his chest to press against the horn of the steering wheel as his arm jutted out to the passenger side of their vehicle, attempting to keep his wife from doing the same as he had, despite the suspension of their seat belts.

"Regina?"

With a hand braced against the glove compartment and a familiar hand stretching across the front of her shoulders, she cursed under her breath, "dammit.." as a pool of liquid gathered around the fabric of the patched blue blanket, darkening it considerably.

"Regina..." He called gently, unbuckling himself as she eased herself from the glove compartment.

"I'm fine-" She shook her head, holding up a hand to stop his advances, "Really, I just-" Shaking her head once more at the mess on the blue fabric, she motioned to the shoulder of the highway, "You should pull over."

_4:28_

"I'm fine, David..." She repeated as he opened her car door, striking his eyes at the vehicle behind them that had done the damage, having pulled over as well.

He ignored her of course, just as she had earlier, latching his hands onto either sides of her waist as she grabbed a hold to his forearms and he pulled her up from the leather seat, allowing her weight to rest on him until she was on her feet. "I told you that I'm fine..."

"Are your clothes wet?"

He tugged at the calves of her leggings and she batted at his hand, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear in frustration, "Stop that! I said I'm fine, I just-" She glanced over to the blank bundle that he was pulling from the car. Falling silent on him prompted a look in her direction that she didn't return, huffing lowly as he worked to pick up her thermos from the floor and look for some towels to absorb the liquid on the floor mats.

"Hey, I'm-I'm sorry about that..." A distant voice that was fast approaching caught both of their attention but it was David who stepped forward, dirty blonde brows knitted in protection.

"Back off..." The amnesiac Sheriff stepped between the stranger and his unusually quiet companion, holding nothing but a baby blanket and a thermos in his hands.

"Man-" The unknown rear-ender threw up his hands in defense of himself, "I'm-I'm sorry, I switched lanes and I was going 75-you were going-what?-55? It was an accident.." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a folded piece of paper, ripped at the edges, "I wrote down my insurance information so that we could-I dunno, exchange and stuff."

Before he could turn around, he was being poked in the back with the small finger of his wife, holding similar documentation.

But of course, it was on a business card.

"Regina Meels?" He looked up with a smirk, fiddling the card between his fingers before nodding to the brunette behind the Sheriff, "Your girlfriend?"

David rolled his eyes, "It's Mills-Nolan. She's my wife, not that it's any of your business."

"Man-I'm sorry. Look, alright..." He backed up and pointed to the Mercedes' bumper, "Barely a scratch...alright, maybe a little dent."

"A dent?!" a voice shrieked behind the blonde's back.

"I'm sorry guys-But like I said, you guys were going below the speed limit in a medium lane-you were kind of asking for it..."

"Gods, the more you mumble the more brain cells I lose!" She rubbed absently at her forehead, now standing so that the stranger had more of a view of her. "How about you just get in your mouse-mobile and drive away..." She motioned at his light blue car with mirrors big enough to make it seem like...it actually was a mouse.

"Look-I'm sorry, but-"

"If you apologize one more time, I swear-

"Hey-Could you tell your girl to chill for a second-"

"Oh-" He reacted at the impact of her pressing against his arm as he threw it out to stop her from moving any further. "I'd leave if I were you..." David suggested, nodding towards his mouse mobile.

_5:03_

"Are you-"

"No more questions."

"Huh?"

"The last time you had a question, we got into an accident...No more questions."

_5:30_

_In 10 miles, take exit 46 from I-95 South towards Boston_

"We're getting closer..." He announced to himself, passing a glance over CHARLEZ, feeling the jitters begin to infiltrate his body. He didn't know why they were going-He didn't even know how far along she was-what he was walking into exactly. All he knew was Storybrooke, Maine and it's sleepy inhabitants-this big city, these highways: he was unfamiliar with it all.

But she told him to drive.

And when she spoke he moved quicker than his mind could process, knowing that he'd do it ten times over if it reached some type of resolve. Though he couldn't help but wonder what it was the happened, what exactly he didn't remember. What was it exactly that caused such a stark contrast in the woman he woke up to-why was he any different than the man that remembered?

 _Why_ would he be so radically different?

Looking over to his right, he couldn't help but steal the occasional glances now that she had finally succumbed to sleep. At first, he thought that she might stay up for the whole time but it was only a matter of time before sleep overtook her. He didn't mind her sleeping on him though-by the looks of her now, she needed it. The only thing that concerned him was the occasional moments where her discomfort couldn't be shielded by blank stares or stone faces. She was completely vulnerable in a state of sleep, baring every groan and pain that plagued her.

He couldn't get to Boston quick enough.

_6:11_

_Destination is on the left_

"Regina..." He called softly, looking over to see that she hadn't stirred in the slightest. Well, the surroundings were gorgeous; large stretched lawns with rose beds and a cobblestone walkway. The only question he had was why the sign mentioned a hospital rather than a hotel. Pulling around the bend, he parked in front of the building, steeping out slowly with another look to his right before locking the door behind him.

Automatic doors opened at his step, causing him to step back and then jog forward as to not have them close on him. So it looked like marble-the floors that is, floors that stretched from wall to wall. Pristine walls that housed the word _Shapiro_ in oversized letters.

"Sir, can I help you?"

He turned around quickly to find a young and petite nurse, a long blonde ponytail stretching down the front of her shoulder as she smiled at him. "Oh-hi..."

Maintaining her smile, she replied: "...hi."

"I um..." He looked back at the glass double doors to make sure that the black Benz was still there, "I had an accident..." He began, drumming his fingers on the counter, "I-I'm here for my wife but my accident led to a touch of...memory loss." Her eyes widened by a fraction, "..but I'm okay-I just don't...remember why we're here exactly."

A tad confused as to why his wife wouldn't fill him in, the nurse shrugged and settled her fingers on the iPad by her side. "Name please?"

"David Nolan..."

"...your wife's name..."

"Oh-I'm sorry, Regina...Regina Mills...M-I-L-L-S."

Looking up at him, her head reared back, "I'm sorry, I don't-I don't have a record here of a Regina Mills reserving a suite-what ward are you looking for again?"

"Uhhh maternity..." He guessed, not knowing of any other reason why they would be there.

"Oh, congratulations!" Her smile grew as she continued to type on her iPad. "Let me try Regina Nolan..." He nodded, waiting until her eyes widened again-"I'm sorry but I'm not showing anything for that either..."

David sighed and peeked out into the double doors to see the shadow of her form still asleep and leaning heavily on the door. "I-my wife is in the car but she's sleeping and...She knows this stuff, she knows everything but I-I um..I don't want to wake her just yet..."

"Awwww..." The blonde nurse pressed a hand to her chest. "That's so sweet..." Turning around, she heard the familiar footsteps of a fellow nurse. "Joanna..."

"Huh?" An averaged sized red-head with green-piercing eyes looked up at the blonde nurse and made her way towards them, "What's up?"

"Joanna, this is David Nolan..." She introduced them and waited for her to wave briefly. "His wife is in the car and she's resting so he doesn't want to bother her with the registration information-Do you recall a Mills or a Nolan registering lately for the Shapiro M-ward?"

"Oh!" She exclaimed, "David Nolan-You and your friend...Red or no-Ruby, made the reservations. Storybrooke, right?" she asked, earning a smile from him.

"Right, Storybrooke..."

"Jamie, let me see..." Once handed the iPad, she too began to type. "I remember you two but I think you signed your wife under the name...Mills-Nolan..."

"I did?"

"...let's see...You did!" Showing him the screen, she smiled and handed the iPad back to her fellow colleague. "Jamie, his wife is the Mayor that I was telling you about-the one that's coming from out of town...They reserved the private full suite in the secure part of the wing..."

"This all seems...kind of fancy.." David mumbled to himself, stuffing his hands in his pockets. It's not like he could really do anything with them at this point but fumble.

"Well, only the best for your wife-I think that's what you said..."

"Joanna, he got into an accident."

"An accident?"

"A bad one...he's amnesiac!"

"What?"

"Yes! He didn't even know why he was here!"

"Why didn't your wife tell you?"

"Yeah why didn't your wife tell you?"

Blue and green pairs of eyes pierced him and he was stumped, having been lost with their tongue-twisting conversation, falling out of the loop when their words began to get a bit too fast. Shaking his head, he rubbed the back of his neck and cracked a charming smile. "Well she's sleeping so-"

Eyeing him wearily, Joanna walked passed Jamie and up to David, "..it's okay, we can talk later...the staff here is kind of gossipy."

World's largest understatement.

"Since you're not up to date, let me just fill you in.." She started towards the glass door, following behind him as he made his way to the front of the building, jogging lightly so that he wouldn't get stuck again. "You okay?"

Shrugging, he pointed to the glass doors, "Has anybody ever gotten stuck?"

She chuckled, "...not that I know of.." David popped the trunk and walked around back to get their bags, failing to notice Joanna rounding the vehicle to get a closer look at this Mayor she had heard so much about.

"That's odd...she doesn't look 7 months..."

The duffle bag in his hands dropped to the floor as he stuttered, "S-seven?" Joanna looked at him wearily and he shrugged once more, "...yeah, seven months..She's uhh...she's always been small."

_6:30_

"David, why are you staring at me?"

"I was trying to figure out the best way to wake you up..."

Her eyes were closed but she could feel his eyes on her, watching her-studying her. The only reason she didn't entertain his glance with one of her own was the tightening of her middle, a feeling that she attempted to ward off with little to no success. It took more than she wanted to admit to keep from reacting like any normal woman would-any woman that hadn't sustained pain that felt much worse and sustained for much longer.

"Why didn't you..." She looked around herself, blinking hard to refocus her eyes, "Why didn't you wake me when we got here? You don't-You don't even remember-"

"I took care of it..." He answered shortly, keeping his face on as he suppressed the urge to display his frustration with being left out. He had so many questions and she had zero answers that she was willing to give-leaving him in the dark each time.

Walking over to her side of the car, he opened the door, "I told them that I got into an accident, don't remember much-they took it."

She scoffed, "So you lied?"

"Well, Regina it's not like you gave me anything to go on."

Flickering her eyes up at him, she held onto the car door and the edge of the frame in her attempts to stand and not be held back by physical limitations. "Here.." He whispered, holding his hands at her upper sides as he pulled her up.

"David-N-I'm fine..." She protested, despite holding onto his arms, nails digging into the leather of his jacket every so often.

"Don't be stubborn..." He mumbled, closing the door behind her.

"I'm not being stubborn."

"You won't even tell me why we're here..."

"If you wanted to know that then you should have asked before we got here..."

"Re-" He sighed at her irrationality, rolling his eyes as he moved to hold her hand, "..fine."

"Fine?"

"I'm not gonna fight with you-I just, I just want to get you upstairs and in bed." He met her eyes with a passing glance as a redhead started to come their way, "...we'll talk later." Walking in front of the glass doors, he cautioned, "careful...they might close on you.."

She narrowed her eyes at his comment, though he was oblivious as he made move to hold at her waist. "Joanna, this is my wife-"

"Mayor Mills-Nolan," The young nurse extended her hand, the other clasped around the head of a wheelchair. "Welcome to Bringham Pavillion..."

Attempting her best political smile, she nodded and extended a weak handshake, eyes wandering the walls around her, "Well...Joanna, it's a pleasure to meet you. But I-I won't be needing that.."

Joanna looked down with big eyes, drumming her hands, "Oh I just thought—it's customary since most of our expectant moms are tired and it's 8 flights up..."

"Oh that's quite alright, dear-I'll be fine."

"Regina, don't be stubborn.." David scolded lightly, earning a look from his wife, brows up and all.

"I am NOT being stubborn..." turning her attention back to Joanna, "I can assume that there is an elevator, correct?"

"Of course.." Looking briefly to David she smiled tightly and waved her hand, "Then by all means, lead the way..."

_7:10_

"Ruby?"

" _...I'm sorry I didn't call you back earlier-I just...I had to take a minute to process everything."_

"Process everything? What was there to process?"

" _...I went and spoke to Gold for you like you asked..."_

"And-what did he say?"

" _He said... He said that the vial he gave David tethered his memories into the object of his choice. He hasn't lost them-he just doesn't remember them-"_

"Wh-Why the hell would he do that?"

" _Are you alone?"_

"I sent him out to explore so that I could speak with you-Ruby, why would he do that?"

" _Insurance to make sure you followed through-Neither of you can come back unless you have Henry and Emma with you..."_

"Nei-Neither of us? But I didn't even-"

" _It was your ring, Regina...He knew that David would choose something that was close to both of you-He connected you two in a way that you guys hadn't been before..."_

"..."

" _Regina?"_

"...I just..need a moment.."


	27. Chapter 27

"Did you brush your teeth?"

A nod.

"Did you tie your hair up?"

A nod and a smile.

"Did you kiss Granny goodnight?"

A nod and a sad smile.

Hoisting the smaller child onto her hip, Ruby could do nothing but flick her thumb against the bevel of the girl's chin, hoping that the faith in her smile would be enough for both of them. "They'll be back soon..." Allowing her forehead to fall against Charlotte's which also meant that their noses brushed in a brief Eskimo kiss, encouraging a childish giggle from the Mayor's look-alike.

"C'mon..." She let Charlotte down on her onesie covered feet, a fishtail braid smacking her in the mouth when the young girl turned a bit too quickly. "Let's get you to bed..." She patted Charlotte's bum softly, leading her into her room before closing the door behind them.

3 Months.

10 weeks.

68 days.

At this point, weary phone calls and hopeful tones simply weren't enough to placate the young girl-She needed her parents. Each day grew harder when every morning the same question was asked until the dryness of her little throat reminded her that she had yet to eat-And no, her mommy wouldn't be there to feed her.

3 months.

The young waitress gone deputy hadn't' heard from the Mayor or sheriff in over a week and her patience was growing tenuous. She was taking over duties at the Sheriff's office, taking care of Charlotte and picking up the extra occasional shift at Granny's when need be. If this was the job of a god-mother, then she was up to it but that didn't mean that she didn't get to feel the bubble of frustration in her chest any time the flicker of her non-existent social life came to mind.

10 weeks.

At first it was difficult-Charlotte having put up more of a fight than she expected. First, the toddler tried a hunger strike that lasted all of 6 hours before she was caught red handed in the kitchen, a face laden with crumbs and a pudgy hand holding Ruby's lunch. Then she tried sassing Granny-which didn't exactly go well. Needless to say, that didn't last 6 hours but the attempt was duly noted. Recently, she refused to let anyone pick out her clothes or touch her hair-hence the messy fishtail braid currently swishing around against her head.

68 days.

So when the doorbell rang that night, she was in no mood for visitors. The bed was calling her name and she was silently replying, 'hell yes, I'm coming', and the doorbell was merely getting in her way.

Opening the door, her eyes were struck as she blinked, tired eyes not knowing if she was being deceived, tricked or she was plain dreaming-

"Holy shit."

_Easing closer and closer to the town line did nothing if not heighten their anxieties. With Henry and Emma smooshed in the back seat with nothing short of drooled on t-shirts and half closed eyes, the car was considerably quiet. The two adults in the front, however, were merely quiet by choice with the occasional glance at the other._

_"We're almost there..."_

_She hummed in response, fiddling with the pocket of her coat, black hair having grown long enough to pass her shoulders now falling in her face. "Do you-Are you worried?"_

_David's mouth opened with a response but it was silence that he provided, "I don't know what we have to be worried about..."_

_She scoffed, turning her head to greet the midnight sky-something easier to look and stare at than the driver. "Right...I forgot..."_

_"Forgot what?"_

_"Nothing." She'd forgotten that he had forgotten-though that was no matter now. They were on their way home and she'd have her husband, she'd have the man that knew the worst of her. And for some reason it was comforting to her that he would remember all of her deeds and all of their strife-perhaps it aided in her being more than what she stood to be. With the good, the bad and the ugly she was...more-more than his wife yet still, less than a Queen._

_And it comforted her._

_With the silence that greeted them, it was unbeknownst to the others that he was crossing the town line. Even with an orange fluorescent hue, the town line was still less than seeable in the pitch of midnight. The Mayor was about to nod off-The Sheriff was already asleep and the other Sheriff was merely driving straight ahead while the son of them all drooled on the window._

_No one noticed._

_Braking the vehicle just as they crossed, he looked down at the dull emerald that held tightly to his pinkey and found that it neither glowed nor glimmered-remaining still and pale in the moonlight._

_And he still knew nothing more than what he did moments ago._

_"Regina..." His hand kneaded against her shoulder, looking to wake her from her quasi nap-her eyes barely open yet still barely closed. "Hey..."_

_Her head lazily raised from the window, taking in her surroundings with a steady remembrance. "Do you-" her question died on hopeful lips when she could see it for herself with her own eyes. He still looked at her like she was innocent-like she was absolved of all and guilty of nothing and that just-it wasn't David._

_That wasn't their relationship._

_The real David looked at her like he knew her sins-like he knew the blood that stained her hands and the bodies that laid in her dreams at night-He looked at her with such...understanding. It wasn't pity and it wasn't judgment-it was just-it was just him wrapped into a glance._

_And this wasn't it._

_Her head turned briefly to the backseat to see that all the 'children' were still drooling, before a sigh escaped her, eyes beginning to well beyond her control, "Give me your hand..."_

_"What for?" Perhaps if her tone didn't hint at destruction or her face didn't yell eternal frustration, then he would be more cooperative._

_Rather than sit and rationalize her actions, she merely pulled at his finger, glaring sharply at his direction when he dared to respond as if she had actually hurt him. "Be still," scolding him lightly, she pulled at the ring that was cherished by her yet was cursing him. With a firm yank in her direction, she held his hand with one of her own and held his pinkey with the other until a cool air met his finger and he realized that he was free._

_Big eyes looked at the emerald ring in her hands before moving to his-silently asking the question that she had been too afraid to finish before._

_"I missed it..."_

_The smile that was beginning to fade into her features was slowly fading away with the confusion of his words. He missed it?_

_What did he miss?_

_"David, do you remember or not?" Her question came as his own eyes bore into hers, features becoming crestfallen as hollow memories plagued his mind. He was unresponsive-causing each word to bare the tension of their predicament._

_"I remember..." His words came like a whisper, as if he was unsure of them as he spoke. "...You had 2-3 contractions the morning that we left and you wouldn't have told me unless I cornered you in the hallway-I remember everything..." Though his words were not of elation nor were they of relief._

_They were weighted._

_Guilty._

_Plagued of 68 days of hollow memories._

_"...I missed it."_

"Holy shit..." The words that spilled from the werewolf's mouth were met with blank stares from 3 sleepy adults, David having slung Henry over his shoulder and Regina carrying a blanket covered carrier. "What the hell-why didn't you guys call me?!"

"Ruby..." The tone in which her name was spoken was all she needed to be told to step aside and let them all in, even the blonde sheriff rubbing at her eye as she trailed at the very end.

It smelled faintly of apples, leather and crayons...

Very heavy of crayons.

Setting down their sleeping infant, the Mayor set the carrier down slowly but quick enough for him not to be caught in the crossfires of the hug she was enveloped in. David was taking Henry upstairs, Emma was rubbing her eyes and Regina-Well Regina was struggling to survive Ruby's bear hug.

"What happ-" Ruby pulled away, her eyes searching for the answers to so many questions. Why were they back? Why did everyone looked so down trodden? Why did her phone calls go ignored? Why did David have nothing to say and why were both of their eyes stricken with a red she knew to not be from sleepiness.

A 'why' for each day they were away.

"In the morning..." Regina offered her a tight smile before giving her hands a light squeeze, "I am so grateful to you..." Though the werewolf couldn't tell if the emotion that was obviously rising between them was originating from another situation. Her eyes were welling and the Mayor's eyes were passed welled-but she didn't exactly know why and didn't trust it enough to narrow it down to this specific moment.

But she would find out.

"I know you have questions and I'll answer them-I want to answer them but-"

"In the morning..." Ruby nodded, "I get it..."

"Thank you-" Her apology barely felt punctuated before another pair of feet hit the staircase.

Granny's.

And telling by her gray bedhead and slipping glasses from her nose, she had the same questions as Ruby-if not more.

"Why didn't you call?!"

A 'why' for each day they were away.

X

One would assume that the number of adults would only serve to simplify the situation and make it less difficult to handle. They were smart-they were experienced and able to deal with a town full of fairytale characters and murderous sorcerers.

But there were just so many questions going unanswered.

Emma's eyes are barely open, practically making a pillow out of the wall as Regina's hands wring until they've gone from pale to red-Ruby watching this of course, in flannel pants that belong to David, something that goes unnoticed by him seeing as he's so preoccupied with staying and not falling ontop of Granny as he walks behind her on the stairs.

"I'm sleeping on the couch..." Emma announced sleepily, her words drawling as if she had suddenly taken on a lisp. With a light squeeze to Regina's elbow as she passes, and an exchanged look from Ruby-she heads in the direction of the living room.

"Sleep tight, dear..." Are the only words and the only response mustered by any of them-something Ruby also notices.

Which is surprising, considering the lack of sleep she's had in comparison to the rest of them.

"Since when are you two so close?" Ruby's words brings the attention to her and a glare from the Mayor, who merely repeats what she previously stated.

"We'll talk in the morning..."

"What about Charlotte?" Ruby pivots on her toes, hands on her hips as David comes to stand in front of her alongside Granny.

"I-"

"It's passed midnight." Granny supplied, lifting gray brows at the rest of them, "Why don't you two surprise her in the morning-before the baby wakes up so you three have some time to spend with her before she realizes that she's not the center of attention anymore..." The Mayor fixes her with a flat look at her sentiments, feeling the urge to roll her eyes but knowing she didn't have the strength nor the stamina to fight or argue.

"Why don't we all go to bed-it is passed midnight, like you said..."

Granny looked to David before throwing her hands up, "...fine..." before making her way towards the stairs once more, turning back briefly, "and I am happy to see all of you-my emotions just go into hibernation passed 10 o'clock-catch me at dawn and I might throw in a hug or two.."

With a lingering look, Ruby followed suit behind her grandmother and left the newly traveled couple in the foyer alone-well not completely alone. There was still the matter of the newborn sleeping at their feet. The newborn no one bothered to menti-

"How could you let me forget my baby?!" A harsh whisper startled the pair as Ruby's heavy footsteps beat through the walls of the house-both now hoping that she hadn't woken any of the kids. "You didn't even mention him!" Her accusatory tone was transfixed towards both of them but neither seemed to mind, Regina having taken to wrapping her arms around his sides and closing her eyes against the comfort of his arm-point being...

They were exhausted.

Ruby started for the carrier and David reached over-cautiously lifting a hand, "He had a rough night-He'll be up in an hour for another feeding. Can you wait?"

Ruby glared in his direction, having turned right back around just to come down and be rejected from holding a child she was now claiming to be hers, "But I'll be asleep by then!" Her voice became a strained whine as her foot stomped lightly on the wooden floor-neither parents being moved by her antics until a light fuss emanated from the blanket below.

Regina's eyes snapped open at the sound, practically scowling in Ruby's direction as a small whimper started to build from the car seat by their feet. "Oh guys I'm sorry..." But her apology fell on deaf ears as Regina was already bending over to lift up the blanket-having been placed to shield against the cold air.

"At least he's cute..." Ruby mumbled as Regina unstrapped him, his tiny fists rubbing in his eyes as he yawned, not wanting to be disturbed.

Little Noah was home.


End file.
